During the fall of his junior year, Alex Gaggino visited New Orleans as a volunteer helping the Lower 9th Ward Village rebuild after Hurricane Katrina. Alex was shocked at the lack of restoration that had occurred six years after the disaster. He made a commitment to Mack McClendon, the community’s leader, that he would continue to help with the restoration. When Alex returned to school, he developed a Social Studies Independent Study class to learn more about the issues surrounding the Katrina disaster and to organize a fund raising event for the Lower 9th Ward, Mack’s organization. Alex’s event was very successful, raising over $3,000. Here is Alex’s online class portfolio:
R.A.D. Independent Study Project
Craig Kaplan visited O.W. Holmes elementary school in Detroit on a field trip for Health Psychology during his sophomore year. He noticed the children did not have any art or music classes, which sparked an idea for an independent study project. During his junior year, Craig started a program he called R.A.D. or the Reinstitution of the Arts into Detroit. At first it was just Craig, his grandmother and another classmate, CC Burgess that went to the elementary school and created art with a first grade class. Eventually the program grew in popularity and now R.A.D. visits O.W. Holmes once a month with over 120 Bloomfield Hills student volunteers, teaching art to students in every classroom of the school. The program even has a student designed logo. As a senior, Craig gained 501(3)(c) nonprofit status and has now passed the baton to the new student leader Abdelrahman Allam. The students and teachers at O.W. Holmes elementary are very grateful for Craig’s generosity and the commitment from Bloomfield Hills students.
The following links will provide you with more information on R.A.D. and show highlights of Bloomfield Hills students’ work with kids in Detroit:
WDIV Channel 4 News Story on R.A.D.
Rochester Patch Article on R.A.D.
The following images were taken by students in the R.A.D. program:
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Final Assessment Presentation
Model High School senior Matt Rosner created this “Prezi” as part of his Final Assessment Presentation (FAP). During his FAP, Matt synthesized what he had learned in all his classes at Model, and the profound effect his learning had on his future plans.
His Prezi focuses on the insights he gained while studying American generations in Advanced Placement English Language and Composition, and the crisis of “FOMO” he sees in his own generation: the much-discussed Millennials.
Final Assessment Presentation on American Generations
See Rachel Pad’s senior F.A.P. for her synthesis of her learning at Model High.
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St. Leo’s Soup Kitchen
Bloomfield Hills Model High School students in the Contemporary Issues in Sociology class working at St. Leo’s Soup Kitchen in Detroit.
The essence of this experience is two-fold. First, it gives students an opportunity to serve needy residents of Detroit by participating in the daily activities at a soup kitchen. Students prepare, cook, serve, and clean-up a noon meal for approximately 150 people. Second, it gives the students direct first hand observation of the needs of a community of folks that they may never come face to face with. In addition to helping in the kitchen, students are asked to observe and interview the clients at the soup kitchen. Most important, this experience engages students in their own learning.
- Anna Ortisi, Cara Schooley, Allison Margolis and Shelby Dubin on a work break.
- Katie Young stirs the pot
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Adventure English Overnight
Spring 2011 Adventure English class on their overnight at Bald Mountain Recreation Area.
Adventure English is an interdisciplinary class, offered throughModel High School, that gives students credit in physical education and English. A ropes course is used as a vehicle for student learning. The focus of the class is team building, communication, interpersonal skills, and finding one’s voice. The overnight trip plays a significant role in allowing students to get to know one another on an informal basis. The learning that occurs on the overnight is particularly important for their participation on the ropes course throughout the semester.
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