Pictured above: Parents and students at the "Year End Projects - YEP" community share.
At Friends School of Portland, seventh and eighth-grade students just wrapped up their year end projects. They took time to identify and research an interest and take action on that issue in our wider community. Opioid addiction, English language learners, video games, deforestation, feminism, Native American erasure, and climate change were among the many topics students investigated.
Students first identified an interest and wrote their first essay. Then, students made connections and interviewed an expert in the field. Students took their action step next: volunteering at a local organization, an organization visit, and creating awareness-raising materials. These opportunities gave each student a chance to get to know their topics more fully. Students then wrote their second and final research essays.
"I was really focused on the solutions like needle exchange and medications at first. Now, approaching people with compassion and treating each person like a real person is what I think matters the most."
"Learning English is harder than I thought and more important than I realized. My first language is English and I've learned Somali at home. I didn't realize how hard it would be to learn English if you were a kid new to the country.”
“I realized that ski communities are having a really hard time addressing climate change.”
“I was really interested in deforestation. I read different articles about forests around the world. And after I wrote my first essay, I talked with Eben Sypitkowski, the Nature Conservancy’s Director of Land Management. We talked a lot about the health of Maine’s Forests. By the end of my project, I was really learning about solutions that people are investigating to combat invasive plants and climate change in the Maine forests. I’m pretty excited that my dad and I are going to plant a few trees at FSP this spring too. I really like making this place a little bit better.”
“I researched unwanted horses. I talked with Education Director at MSSPA and volunteered at the horse farm, It Takes Two. Horses take a lot of work and care. When I volunteered, I helped feed horses and get them ready for lessons with younger kids. I wanted to learn more about horses and what happens to them if they aren’t in a place that takes good care of them.”
Students had a chance in April to share with peers, younger children, and their families about their projects. Seventh and Eighth-grade Humanities teacher, Pete Nowak shared: “The project showcased so much important learning: students connected with experts from the outside world, managed a variety of tasks and deadlines, coupled skills they've been practicing with personal passions, and gained a deep enough understanding about their topics to be able to think flexibly and change their minds.”
The community share was relaxed and gave way to small engaged conversations. Students really had the opportunity to share what they had learned about a topic of their choice.