Student engagement is the spark that lights a flame of interest, which can ignite a fire that grows into a passion. In order to engage a curious student, an educational program must attract children on a real level – stimulating their interests and helping them grow into lifelong learners, not just yearlong students.
Our local public schools are doing just that, creating special activities that challenge kids to think in innovative ways and open up their world to new possibilities. Here are just a few of the unique programs offered in our area schools.
Medlar View Elementary School
Miamisburg City School District
Medlar View Elementary offers its students a “Burg’s Eye View” with their media production club. Working either behind the camera or in front of a lens, students in Burg’s Eye View learn how to create a media production each month, focusing on an interesting activity or current event. Medlar View High School students help their elementary friends with the technology behind the production and fifth grade students serve as broadcast members. Productions are then taped and aired on a local cable channel.
Harman Elementary School
Oakwood City School District
Harman Elementary School is keeping its students technologically savvy through their Coding Club. Established by a PTO parent, this extracurricular activity teaches kids to build their own computer games, animations and interactive stories. Using Scratch, a free online program developed by MIT, students perform computer-oriented tasks that help them explore computational thinking concepts and practices. Every week at Coding Club, the young web masters receive a few minutes of instruction and an open-ended activity, which may include debugging a computer program or creating their own electronic game.
Bethel Elementary School
Bethel Local School District
The Math Pentathlon Club at Bethel Elementary, offered to students in grades 2-7, uses a fun game-style format to encourage growth in the areas of mathematical strategies and cognitive skills. The Math Pentathlon Club works to bolster students’ enthusiasm for math and change the preconceived negativity that often surrounds the subject. Bethel’s group of budding mathematicians hopes to host its own all-day math competition in the spring, as well as compete on a larger level in Indianapolis next year.
Kinder Elementary School
Miamisburg City School District
Kinder Elementary School participates in the nutritional and physical activity program “Fuel Up to Play 60.” Launched by the National Dairy Council and the National Football League, Fuel Up to Play 60 challenges students to make healthy food choices and exercise for at least 60 minutes per day. The program also works to ensure that students make these positive changes while maintaining their studies. Kinder Elementary kids learn the benefits of starting healthy habits while they’re young and support their peers in the same efforts as well.
What unique programs does your public school offer? Send a message to [email protected] to share your stories!
