Apps For A Cause: A 3rd Grade Service-Learning Project

On Tuesday, May 30th third-grade students at Union Academy showcased their ideas for advocating and creating partnerships with local non-profits. The 3rd Grade App Expo is the concluding event for a service-learning project which began in November.


According to Mrs. Catherine Rogers who leads this endeavor, students began the project by first talking about what is a "cause". Next they used technology to research local non-profits to learn who and how they help in the community. As a group they selected a non-profit and brainstormed a smartphone app that could help their cause. From there, students contacted their organization by email to gain more information about the cause and to receive feedback on their application idea. Student groups then pulled all of their research together to finalize their app idea, design a logo, and create a presentation for the App Expo.


This service learning project accomplishes a number of 3rd grade standards. Reading, writing, speaking, and listening are constant parts of the project. In addition, the project teaches students to practice self-advocacy, learn about social justice, and to develop as a citizen. Students feel empowered to be agents of change and they discover how they can work with others to create good. Group work nurtures skills in conflict resolution and negotiation. Most importantly, Apps For A Cause helps students learn the power of their own voice and their ability to solve real problems.


This year Union Academy has made an effort to increase service-learning projects, tying community service into academic curriculum. Mrs. Rogers' Apps For A Cause is an excellent example of how reading, writing, and social emotional learning can all be accomplished through the vehicle of helping others.

Life Skills Day: Educating the Whole Child

     Many schools talk about educating the whole the child, but Union Academy proactively puts this mission into action. One example is UA's High School Life Skills Day. On Life Skills Day, students are divided by grade level and spend a school day attending programs on interview skills, table etiquette, sewing, CPR, and more. The annual event began in November of 2014 under the guidance of Shannen Bretz. According to Bretz the event grew from a brainstorm about what students needed before graduation. He said, "We heard that employers and universities were looking for 'soft skills,' like empathy, responsibility, initiative, and manners. We designed life skills day to encompass these concepts in an effort to develop the whole child and to educate for all parts of life."
     On Thursday, April 13, Union Academy held it's 3rd annual Life Skills Day. According to Kelly Brun, school counselor who has coordinated the efforts for the past two years, the school has made a conscious effort to provide different skills each year and to constantly adapt the program to meet the needs of the students. "Each year we survey the students and the speakers to assess areas of success and improvement.  We also use the survey to solicit new ideas," she said.  For instance, this year the lesson on how to change a tire was hands-on. Sophomore students were divided into small groups and worked together to read a vehicle's owner manual and work through the steps necessary to change a flat. 

     In 2017, twenty-four skills were taught. Each grade level circulated through six different skills. All high school students learned self-defense thanks to Sangrock Black Belt World, US Taekwondo Academy, Roar Taekwondo, and Zen Jiu-Jitsu. Seniors also learned about credit and finance, communication skills, trauma care, and CPR. Juniors learned ethics, how to sew, interview skills, how to register a car, and the importance of a positive social media profile. In addition to how to change a tire and self-defense, sophomore students participated in workshops on table etiquette, stress management, first aid, and impaired safety. Freshmen skills included food safety, relationship skills, fitness, and cyber safety. 
     According to Jim Zorn, the high school principal, one of the best parts of this event is the community support. "Union Academy partnered with nineteen different organizations to make today's event possible." Participants included South Piedmont Community College, Wingate University, North Carolina Cooperate Extension, the State Bureau of Investigation, Turning Point, Monroe Police Department, and Union County Junior Cotillion. In addition,  Union Academy alumni, parents, and grandparents helped teach courses. Community members value the purpose behind Life Skills day. According to Kathy Babula from Youth Meditation, "The best part about Life Skills Day is the variety of instruction regarding the real world that students can immediately put to use. From proper table etiquette to job interview skills to CPR, one never knows when this information will be needed for a 'make or break' moment."
     In addition to the small group workshops, the students ended the day with an assembly called Chasing the Dragon organized by Union Academy's Nursing Department. High school parents were also invited to attend. The assembly touched on the dangers of substance abuse, particularly on the the harmful effects of opioid addiction. One of the speakers at the assembly, Elaine Moffatt, shared her son's story with opioid addiction.  "His addiction began with prescription pill abuse and quickly moved out of his control."

     "With the growing heroin epidemic in North Carolina and across the United States, we think it is important for students to be aware of how dangerous it is to take prescription drugs without doctor supervision," said Monica Kocell, school nurse.  According to Ashley Sabo, head of the Union Academy nursing department, "Information from the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) indicates that one in five high school seniors reports misusing prescription drugs at least once in their lifetime.  In addition the DEA reports that 75% of opioid (heroin) abusers started with prescription pills.  Teens and their parents need to be aware of the addictive nature of these pills."  

     From changing tires to substance abuse prevention, Life Skills Day is a proactive way that Union Academy works to ensure the success of their students.  "Keeping our students safe, teaching them to be independent, and preparing them for the future are the real goals of this day," said Kelly Brun.