Some of my proudest moments have been spent coordinating events and activities connected to the community. The Spirit Stride brought together teachers, parents, students, and business sponsors. We had approximately 70 volunteers that donated their time to make everything run like clockwork. Students watched the community come together and they felt how powerful events like the Spirit Stride can be. South Anna student alumnae returned year after year to volunteer or to run.
The South Anna Musicals have been a labor of love for eight years. Parents and students regularly thank me for the opportunity to participate in yearly musical productions. In 2007, our show was Annie, Jr. It was an incredible group of performers and they have all stayed invested in our South Anna community. Last year in 2016, we decided to do Annie, Jr. again. The original cast came back to meet the new “Annie”, “Daddy Warbucks”, and the orphans. The elementary students were starstruck as the high schoolers came back stage to tell them to “break a leg”. By the Saturday performance, the audience was full of the original cast members and their families. I was overwhelmed by the show of support and gratitude for the experiences we provided. One of my most precious possessions is the picture of the original 2007 cast members with the 2016 cast members. Spring Break of last year a group of fifth graders came to school over a period of days to create their vision of the Classroom of the Future. They built a 3D version of the classroom and made a green screen movie to complete the presentation. The students would never get to use the new classroom, but spoke often about giving back for future generations at South Anna. I am convinced that their passion and dedication to giving back to our community is why we won one of the first Classroom of the Future Grants. We had the opportunity to use that momentum to bring about incredible change. Students stepped up to give back to our community. We started by enlisting helpers including a girl scout troop and their parents. They stepped up to clean our courtyard, paint the flower boxes, and paint the base for the new mural. A South Anna alumnus, and senior at Patrick Henry, stepped up to design and paint the mural. Another South Anna Community business and former parent, donated their time, supplies, and expertise to create our pond and build our outdoor stadium. Lastly, when I reached out to parents, five fathers of students donated supplies and carpentry skills to finish out our space with see-through rolling planters, vertical planters, pvc pipe for the outdoor xylophone, and bricks for the sensory walk. Students were involved every step of the way and have reaped the benefits of their own and their parents’ hard work and volunteerism. In March, of this year we held our very first Family STREAM Night. Again, South Anna alumni were eager to give their time and energy. Seventeen came out during the week to help run stations with their former teachers. A former student and senior returned to complete her Community Service project at South Anna. She wanted to offer a STEM camp after school for free. I was happy to help sponsor her efforts. Blast Off was a four week camp that served 32 students. Students programed ozobots to travel the universe, engineered M&M dispensers for astronauts, explored all the technology in the studio, and launched Alka Seltzer rockets to end the week. This camp was so successful that it has led to the development of the Innovation Institute for the summer of 2018. Our Innovation Institute objective is to make connections with community and business professionals and practices in order to allow high school students leaders (HSSL) to learn more about their field of interest. We also want those HSSLs to explore that field of interest as they give back to their home community. Each HSSL will research, develop, and lead a project-based learning experience for the elementary campers by ordering and preparing materials, and becoming experts in the technology. The elementary students will then participate in the week long camp run by the HSSLs. This opportunity connects elementary students, high school students, and professional mentors in order to better link education and the workplace. Lastly, my current students are feeling the impact of all of the community connection and investment. They are acutely aware of who is responsible for all of the opportunity and privilege that comes along with the Innovation Studio. The Hanover Education Foundation has completely transformed our instruction and this year we have spent time showing our gratitude. My students have written letters, made a thank you movie, and even written and performed a rap in gratitude for all the HEF has done for us. Presentations to locals business owners, HEF Board Members, Randolph Macon College Students, and Hanover County Council of PTAs have been a monthly occurrence. The students have embraced this opportunity and shared the impact of the new classroom and resources on their daily instruction. They are learning how vital organizations like the HEF are to our schools and the importance of gratitude to others for all they do. Comments are closed.
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Author“Challenge me! Inspire me! Listen to me!” This is the message in their eyes. I see myself in so many of the students I serve, because I was not easily inspired as a young learner. Now, as an inspired educator, I hope to motivate students to find joy in learning and to take pride in being part of a community of learners. Archives
March 2018
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