Making the World a Better Place

It's been amazing to see the passions of our students emerge from the discoveries they are making about our world through their personalized learning experiences. Several students have been inspired to take action to improve the quality of life for others:

• To bring clean water to Gabon, Africa
• To bring solar-powered lights to homes without electricity in Africa so that children can do their homework
• To bring awareness and raise money to benefit children with epilepsy
• To save endangered elephants
• To bring new books to brighten the days of children with cancer at Lurie's Children's Hospital

These students have found a voice of courage and compassion as they share what they are learning during morning announcements, lunch hour presentations, and evening presentations to peers and parents. 

 

Our Book Buddies Club has been just as influential and caring. Thanks to the leadership of our older students, younger students are enjoying learning to read through games and interactive activities. Recently, the Book Buddies Club shared a very entertaining Readers Theater in the courtyard. 

The world also becomes a better place when people of different cultures and life experiences come together with open minds and open hearts to get to know one another and learn from each other. We were fortunate to have this experiences with the Japanese exchange students who visited Dryden last week. Although our languages were very different, as we played the African drums, we quickly learned that music can be a universal language. 

Even their principal and teachers joined in the fun! 

It was a fun morning taking on STEAM challenges and documenting our learning by video-recording in both Japanese and English on the iPads. 

 

Students worked together to build the tallest standing structure with 15 pipe cleaners.

Another challenge involved folding a paper airplane that could hold three pennies and travel the farthest distance. 

Caring for the environment also helps the world become a better place. We are very proud of kindergarteners for their careful and diligent work in growing plants from seeds in their classroom greenhouses. 

Lastly, we would like to thank teacher, Mrs. Moxley. This past Thursday, along with other teachers, Mrs. Moxley was recognized at the School Board meeting for reaching the milestone of teaching in our school district for 30 years! Mrs. Moxley has certainly made the world a better place by touching the lives of so many children!