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. 

Union Academy Family Reunion Day 2017

     Family Reunions are always special times, but especially so at Union Academy Charter School. For the third time this school year, the 1400 members of 27 Union AcaUA Character Educationdemy “families” came together Wednesday, April 5 to work, learn, eat and play.
     Families at the K-12 school consist of elementary, middle and high school students combined in groups of about 50 to form “families.” Each family is distinguished by wearing matching t-shirts. The final reunion of the year, started out with all UA families gathering for a school assembly in the football stadium filled with music and a celebratory mood. Student families then began to make rotations of morning activities.
     Mike Baucom, a trustee with Hometown Heroes, a local non-profit organization that helps children afflicted with cancer, spoke with the students about the value in being charitable with time and money to help those in need in our community. Baucom said, “Giving is the greatest gift your heart will ever receive and no matter how young or old you might be, it’s never too early or too late to start giving to others.” He talked about the organization’s annual Christmas Tree Lot fundraising event and encouraged students of all ages to volunteer helping run the tree sales.
     Following learning about the Hometown Heroes organization, student family groups rotated to the high school gym to make Christmas cards and ornaments to donate to the organization for the tree sale this year. Student-decorated cards will be given away at the lots and the Christmas trees will be decorated with the hand-made ornaments. ”This is so much fun and I like hearing the Christmas music playing now. I hope the ornaments my UA Family made will make someone want to buy a Christmas tree next year to help children with cancer,” said Addie Watkins, third grade student.
     The third and final rotation of the morning allowed an opportunity for all students to sign the base floor and wall beams of the new 32,000 square feet dining and classroom addition being built at the Upper Campus located on MLK, Jr., Boulevard in Monroe. The student names and their thoughts will be forever embedded in the structure of the building.

By Luan Ingram

1st Grade Students Brighten the Birthdays of Children in Need

Union Academy's 1st grade classes partner with Bright Blessings, a non-profit organization that cares for the needs of homeless and impoverished children in the greater Charlotte area. According to Cynthia Mitchell, first grade teacher, “This partnership focuses on the character trait of compassion. At the beginning of the year we introduce the trait to students through reading and writing.”  The team of first grade teachers then use this trait to educate the students on the needs of others in the community and the students’ ability to make a difference.  “At this young age, teachers want students to start thinking outside of themselves and start thinking about words like grateful, thankful, caring, giving, etc.  This theme of compassion is carried throughout the year whether working on service projects in the classroom, writing, reading literature, or visiting the Bright Blessings location itself,” said Mrs. Mitchell.

One of the main ways first grade students serve the community and learn the implementation of compassion is through Bright Blessings’ Bless-a-Birthday program.  This program provides presents and parties to children who do not have the financial means to celebrate their birthdays. Throughout the school year and as needs arise, first graders collect specific needs for Bless-a-Birthday such as gifts, juice boxes, cookies, lollipops, and other party supplies.  The first grade students at Union Academy do in-class projects for the program by making gift wrap and bookmarks that will be used to help celebrate the birthdays of these children.  Twice a year, first graders visit the Bright Blessings location in Matthews, North Carolina where they tour the facility and receive an update on growing needs and projects.  While at the facility, the first graders have an opportunity to do hands-on service such as making gift bags for parties or decorating gift wrap.

In addition to using this service project as a tool for learning compassion, reading, and writing, the first grade teachers also tie the project to First Grade Social Studies Essential Standards.  Standard 1.E.1.3 expects students to understand how supply and demand affects the choices families make, including why people cannot have everything they want. Discussing the causes of homelessness and poverty helps students understand why people often prioritize choices based on wants and needs.  Students recognize that birthday celebrations are a want and not a need.  Discussion on this essential standard allows the children to see how they can help fulfill this want for those less fortunate and make a difference in the community. 

 “This is a meaningful project for this age group because they are helping children just like themselves. This consistent connection to being kind and caring towards others is an important part of the whole C-A-R-R-O-T P-I, and developing the character of the students,” stated Mrs. Mitchell.

A Visit to Autumn Care: A Trip to Discover the Past and Serve the Elderly

     On March 22, Mrs. Hughes' 5th grade Cardinal Time group spent the morning interacting with the residents of Autumn Care, a nursing center in Marshville, NC. Becca Yanacsek, substitute teacher, spent the morning preceding the trip teaching the students about the importance of serving this part of the community.  They watched a video about a 102 year old dancer who saw videos of her in her youth for the first time. The video prompted discussion on the lives lived by the elderly and their wealth of knowledge about the past.  Students discussed how they learned much about the past  through the oral history part of the Fifth Grade Heritage Project completed last month.  Ms. Yanacsek suggested that the service trip was an opportunity to continue learning through oral history.  This discussion led to a "secret mission" where students were challenged to discover the history of the residents at Autumn Care.
     Once at Autumn Care, the students filled the cafeteria, armed with games, nail polish, or craft supplies.  Under the guise of activity volunteers, they used the time to ask the elderly residents questions. While playing checkers, or teaching Uno they tried to discover the ages and previous jobs of the residents.  "I met a lady who was 102 years old.  I did the math.  That means she was born in 1915!  She told me that she didn't have a car growing up, but did have a two seated carriage called a Surry," said student Shelby Brooks.
     In addition to learning about the past, students also learned the importance of serving this population. In the reflection circle after the project, students shared their experiences. Fifth grader Teigan Hatinen said, "I liked helping those people.  One lady said that her daughter and sister never come to visit.  I think she really liked that we were there."
     Everyone benefited from their time spent at Autumn Care. The elderly were entertained and felt respected and valued. The students were filled with compassion and learned a worthwhile lesson on caring for those who are older. During the service reflection circle, student Erin Collins summed up the experience with her quote, "I think it is important that we listen to their stories and pass them along.  They feel better having someone listen and I feel good for helping them."
     Union Academy is dedicated to creating good citizens for the future.  Service learning projects, such as this visit to Autumn Care, are a common experience for all UA students.  Through these opportunities, teachers and staff hope to expose students to real-world needs and  inspire them to create solutions.  Union Academy believes that community involvement is a fundamental tool for promoting the school’s core values and for developing leadership skills in students.

Freshmen Focus: UA's High School Student Transition Program

     Union Academy is dedicated to educating the whole child as evidenced by the second year of the school's Freshmen Focus workshops. Freshmen Focus began in the 2015-16 school year when principal Jim Zorn pulled together a team of high school staff members with instructions to create a curriculum that would assist freshmen with entering high school. His idea grew to become a series of ten lessons designed to both acclimate ninth graders to high school and find success in their final years at Union Academy. This year the program grew to include upperclassmen as co-teachers of the lessons. "It seemed like a natural fit to include our Link Crew Leaders in the implementation of Freshmen Focus," said Trent Faulkner, Union Academy teacher and Link Crew adviser. The Link Crew is a group of juniors and seniors in charge of Freshmen Orientation. "They were looking for another way to interact with the ninth grade class and this was a great opportunity," he added.
     This school year's Freshmen Focus series kicked off with an assembly hosted by Mr. Faulkner and the Link Crew. Mr. Faulkner interacted with students teaching them the importance of choosing friends wisely and keeping focused on the goal of graduation and college. The Link Crew led students in games where they experienced the importance of working together and choosing wisely.
In the months following the assembly, students rotated through a series of eight activities and learning skills such as stress management, SMART goals, serving others, and making the most of high school. Students were quizzed on the history and mission of UA and learned about the importance of the three Cs: Challenge, Character, and Community. They participated in scenarios that made them consider choices they may be faced with as a high school student and evaluate their life priorities. "My favorite class in Freshmen Focus was learning how to calculate my GPA and what to expect in high school," said ninth grade student Andrew Young.
     The tenth and final meeting of Freshmen Focus was on High School Service Day. This half day event began with a wrap-up of all previous lessons and more activities related to personal leadership and success. Students were reminded of UA’s graduation requirement involving service hours and were exposed to the needs of local charities and non-profits. Students chose from eight different projects such as making blankets for Project Linus, crafting para-cord bracelets for the USO, stuffing race bags for the Heart of Monroe, and preparing lunch for Operation Reach Out. They demonstrated teacher appreciation by cleaning rooms, braiding chew toys for dogs at the Union County Animal Shelter, and mixing home-made play-dough for the Alliance for Children. Student Emily Huang said, "I like feeling like I'm making a difference. On service day, I felt good about making para-cord bracelets and making sandwiches for those in need." "My group created whisper phones for emerging readers. They learned that serving others does not have to be elaborate project and that the most simple act of kindness can go a long way, " said Holly Hammonds, high school counselor.
     "Our goal with the Freshmen Focus program was to create a solid foundation for these young students entering high school. We want them to understand the importance of good character, and we want them prepared to meet the challenges of the next few years and feel supported through the process," said Principal Zorn.
     Freshmen Focus and the Link Crew are examples of how Union Academy proactively works to promote core values and performance values (Principles 1 & 3 of Character Education). In addition this program works to create a caring community (Principle 4 of Character Education) across grade levels.

Union Academy High School Clubs Serve the Community

   

   On March 15th, Union Academy High School students completed over 800 hours serving the community through the annual High School Service Day. This event is one of many examples of how UA is committed to serving those in need and is dedicated to the development of character in students.

   For students in grades ten through twelve, High School Service Day was the final event for their chosen club and was a celebration of their work over the school year. When clubs began in the fall they were challenged by Mr. Zorn, the high school principal, to create a project that would give back to others. Over the past eight months, students have investigated areas of need tied to the mission of their club. Based upon those needs, club members then worked together to address the area of concern. For instance, the Sports Lovers club saw a need to educate middle school students about the importance of a healthy life style. They then created and executed a lesson on this topic and engaged sixth grade students in fun ways to exercise through dance. The Knots of Love club, a group of students who learned to knit, discovered that the local hospital maternity wards were in need of hats for newborn babies. According to Emma Tittle, a junior at UA, the club, “knitted twenty or thirty small hats and then delivered them to CMC Union on Service Day.”   

   For ninth grade students, the High School Service Day was the finale of this year’s Freshmen Focus workshops. On Service day, freshmen were reminded of UA’s graduation requirement involving service hours and were exposed to the needs of local charities and non-profits. Students chose from eight different projects such as making blankets for Project Linus, crafting para-cord bracelets for the USO, stuffing race bags for the Heart of Monroe, and preparing lunch for Operation Reach Out to name only a few. “Our goal today was to let them see that it is easy and rewarding to serve others. We hope that by introducing them to these local organizations, they will find a place to get involved and give back over the rest of their high school career,” said Kelly Brun, school counselor at UA.

   Overall, almost twenty different local groups and organizations benefited from the High School Service Day, including Wolfe School, Brookdale Union Park Nursing Home, and Operation Christmas Child. However, the biggest beneficiaries of the day were Union Academy’s high school students. “So many teachers have helped me over the years and it felt great to finally give something back to them.  I loved making them breakfast on Service Day,” said Jeannine Llanos, 12th grade student.

Union Academy 2nd Grade Market Place: A Culmination of UA's 3 Cs

     In February, 2nd grade students learned about money in math and economics in social studies. To bring these concepts to life, the 2nd grade team of teachers created the Market Place Project. Through this project, students were asked to create their own business and "put to use all of the real-life skills they learned earlier in the month," said Mrs. Laura Kohn, 2nd grade teacher. They were given the option to work in teams or individually and were told that their business could either produce a product or provide a service. Students had to name their business, make a business plan, create a poster advertisement, and, of course, create their items for sale.
     On February 28th, the students brought all the pieces together to create their classroom Market Place. Students rushed around the four 2nd grade classrooms setting up their stations, advertising their goods, excited to bring their business creations to life. Second grade classrooms were filled with home-made cookies, book marks, hair bows, nail salons, and more. At 8:15 am the Market Place opened for business. Students worked together to figure out customer totals and count back change. When some things didn't sell, they thought quickly and created sales and incentives to encourage customers.
     This Market Place project tied seamlessly into UA's mission of the Three C's: Challenge, Character and Community in many ways. According to Cara Schaefer, "Our students learned important life skills about showing initiative (starting a business), responsibility/trustworthiness (running the business and keeping track of cash), optimism/ perseverance (not giving up when their business was slow) and compassion (donating to a worthy cause to help others)."
     While this is not the first time UA has held a 2nd grade Market Place, it is the first time the project was combined with helping those in need. "This year our 2nd grade teachers thought about how to combine this annual assignment with service learning. Since, the 2nd grade already serves the families staying at the Ronald McDonald House, it was an easy connection to make," said Lower School Principal Shannen Bretz. According to Mrs. Greenwalt, 2nd grade teacher, "This year 2nd grade was able to involve parents in an additional way with 2nd Grade Market Place. Our parents showed their continued support to our students and our community outreach partner, Ronald McDonald House. Parents came and shopped at our Market Place, donating $1,150.00 for Ronald McDonald House."
      This month long project accomplished a number of the 11 Principles of Character Education, the tool used to assess a National School of Character. The adaption of this annual assignment into a service learning project is a recent example of how UA continually assess its character education efforts and looks for areas of improvement (Principle 11) and provides opportunities for moral action/service learning (Principle 5). In addition, the 2nd grade team of teachers did an outstanding job of creating a caring community (Principle 4) and developing a meaningful, challenging academic curriculum that develops character in students (Principle 6).

5th Grade Heritage Day: Bringing School Families Together in Celebration of Diversity

On February 17th, 5th grade students rushed into school in anticipation of the annual 5th grade Heritage Day.  For the previous eight weeks, the students worked on completing the various pieces of the project.  From interviewing aged family members to researching countries of their ancestor's immigration, Heritage Day was the culminating event.  Each student created a display highlighting all of the things they learned about their family's history.  They made Heritage Day Notebooks, wrote biographies, crafted poems, cooked traditional dishes, and shared family artifacts.  Parents and grandparents were invited to attend Heritage Day and circulated around the booths, speaking with students about their family history.

     UA's 5th Grade Heritage Day tradition began 10 years ago, when Mrs. Karlyn Brown was asked to teach Social Studies in 5th grade.  "As an adopted child, I was raised to appreciate my heritage and the heritage of others.  When I first started teaching, I realized that most of my students had no idea about their families' origins.  When I asked them, "Where is your family from?' they would usually reply, 'North Carolina' or 'South Carolina'.  From there I decided to make my students research their family history, after all almost every United States citizen's family immigrated from somewhere other than the U.S." 

     Mr. Frashier, this year’s 5^th grade Social Studies teacher, was excited to continue Mrs. Brown’s tradition and was amazed at the final product. “I am so proud of our students and all the work they have put into these projects.  I wasn’t sure what to expect and was blown away by how hard the students worked,” said Mr. Frashier.  “I loved seeing all of the families come out to support their kids.”

     While this project fits in nicely with the required state Social Studies and English Language Arts curriculum, the best part is how it brings families together.  Paige McBride, a UA parent whose son graduated in 2016 said, "I love the heritage projects my kids completed at UA.  Wyatt (now graduated) interviewed his great-grandma who has now passed away.  We will always treasure the binder he did as a family treasure."

     "Over the years, I have heard of stories told by grandparents and great-grandparents that would have been lost without this assignment.  Parents have reported to me that they have learned just as much as the kids by working on the project," said Mrs. Brown.  That is the real treasure of the 5th grade Heritage Project:  families talking, sharing stories, and celebrating their roots.

     "I loved watching the students beam with  pride about where their family was from and what makes their family unique.  The students were eager to share about their history," said Monica Kocell, School Nurse and parent at UA, who attended this year's event.

     Heritage Day is an example of how Union Academy works to build a caring community (Principle 4 of the 11 Principles of Character Education) and provides a meaningful, challenging academic curriculum that respects all and develops character (Principle 6 of the 11 Principles of Character Education.)   
 

Union Academy Volunteers for Hunger and Homeless Candlelight Vigil

Photo from the Union Academy Newsletter, Nov. 17, 2016

Each year Union Academy chooses a community need to support during the school year. The Union County Community Shelter was the top choice for 2016-2017. On Monday, November 14th, staff and students volunteered to provide and serve food for the Union County Hunger and Homeless Candlelight Vigil. Headmaster Dr. Ann Walters led the volunteer effort serving a pork barbecue dinner and speaking on Union Academy's commitment to serve the community.

The candlelight vigil is part of the Union County Community Shelter's annual Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, held nationally each year the week prior to Thanksgiving. "This is a time for us all to start to reflect on what we are thankful for. It is also a perfect time to share our compassion with our neighbors who are experiencing homelessness, and work toward a world where no one has to experience Hunger and Homelessness," said Kathy Bragg, Executive Director of the shelter.

Volunteering at this event opened the eyes and hearts of all involved. "This makes me rethink my Christmas wish list," said UA junior LeKayla Love. "Those kids were just like me," said 2nd grader Gage Brun.

A National School of Character provides opportunities for moral action (Principle 5) and defines character to include thinking, feeling, and doing (Principle 2). Volunteering at the Candle light vigil on Hunger and Homelessness is an example of why Union Academy received the designation as a National School of Character.

 Click here to learn more about the Union County Community Shelter:  http://www.unionshelter.org/ 

UA Appreciates Community Helpers!

On Wednesday, November 9th, the lower campus hosted its first Community Luncheon. "This was a chance for our school to say thank you to many of our community partners and to help students realize that little acts of respect have a big impact, " said Mr. Bretz, lower campus principal.  Thirteen members of the community attended the luncheon and ate lunch with a select group of Kindergarten through Fourth Grade students.  The mayor of Monroe, Union County sheriff officers, firemen, and a United States veteran, were among the many community members honored at the lunch. Strong partnerships with the community is a hallmark of a National School of Character (Principle 10) and this luncheon exemplified Union Academy's commitment to maintaining and recognizing those partnerships.

 

Spirit Week Builds a Caring Community

Photo Credit:  UA Charter School Facebook

    One of the primary ways you know that your school has a positive culture is by assessing school pride and this year's Homecoming week visually indicated that Union Academy excels at creating a caring community (Principle 4 of the 11 Principles of Character Education).  From staff to students, all members of the Union Academy family participated in the activities planned by the middle school and high school student councils.  Doors were decorated, halls were transformed, and costumes were planned, all in an effort to demonstrate how proud we are to be UA Cardinals.
    The Friday spirit parade was a new addition to UA's homecoming week tradition where each of the high school grade levels were invited to march.  Middle school teachers were invited to bring their classes to view the festivities, pulling together the entire upper campus community.  "I thought those students dressed up as Mr. Zorn and Dr. Walters were so funny!" said middle school student, Grayson Brun.
     Also indicative of UA's positive culture was the number of attendees at the homecoming football game on Friday night.  The home-side bleachers were packed, filled with students, parents, staff and alumni.  Over sixty-five staff members came out in support the Cardinals, but most heart-warming was seeing the UA Alumni.  Class of 2016 graduate, Halee Bennett, even guest cheered with this year's varsity cheer squad.
     Union Academy's goal as a school is to create an environment where students feel connected and safe.  When you see students participate in high numbers during spirit week and continue to show up on campus even after they graduate, you know that you are doing something right.  #WeAreUA
Check out Union Academy''s Facebook page for more photos from Spirit Week!

UA Students Learn By Doing!

  

      Students are running around the room, stepping on number cards.  Shouts are occurring across the room.  "Where is eight?"  "What number are you looking for?"  What appears to be a chaotic classroom turns out to be an environment filled with life lessons.  This is Mrs. Rushing's Experiential Learning class where she teaches all students in Kindergarten through 8th grade lessons on life and character.

     In Experiential Learning (EL), Mrs. Rushing facilitates a learning experience that almost always appears to be a fun game or activity.  Today's lesson is about communication, synergy, and helping each other, although the students will not figure this out until the end. She instructs the students to work as a group to step on a set of numbered cards in sequential order as quickly as possible.  To make things a challenge, the numbered cards are randomly dispersed around the room.
     After the first round, Mrs. Rushing asks students to reflect on the experience by asking, "What did you notice?" Students raise their hands, eager to respond.  "Everyone was so loud, I couldn't hear anything."  "There were only a few students who would help you." "It took some people a lot longer than others."  "It was hard to find the number you needed because they were all over the place."  They are then asked to think of possible strategies to make the challenge faster.  She doesn't agree or disagree with the ideas, but allows the students to process the suggested strategies.  The group sets a goal for improvements (a throwback to last week's EL lesson on goal setting) and then allows time to problem solve before restarting the experience.

     On round two, the room is less disorganized, but again filled with smiling students bumping into each other.  Yells continue to fill the air.  The group implements their system for finding numbers. Hands are raised in the air with numbers, students are looking out for each other.  They complete the challenge more quickly and are visibly proud of their accomplishment. When discussing round 2, Mrs. Rushing asks the class to think about how their ideas worked and what could be done differently. They are then asked to relate those lessons to school.  Students pipe in, "We should ask for help when we need it."  "Or if you see someone who looks lost, just offer to help them."  

  The bell is about to ring and Mrs. Rushing asks the most important question of the entire lesson, "What did you learn today?"  Fifth grade student Shelandee sums up the lesson by saying, "People may not know you need help if you do not ask."  "And when you help each other, it's a lot easier to get the job done," adds Shelby Brooks.

     But the lessons are more than asking for helping, or offering help to those who need it.  That may be the obvious goal accomplished, but experiential learning is more.  In this one class period, students step outside their comfort zone.  They are allowed the freedom to move around the room, get loud, interact with each other, and think outside the box.  They solve problems and learn to make mistakes in safe environment. They experience how to make eye contact while speaking and how to disagree without being disagreeable. According to Mrs. Rushing this is the biggest benefit of Experiential Learning.  "Kids do not have a lot of opportunities to solve problems in life without some sort of adult intervention- from a parent, teacher, or coach.  It takes a couple of lessons before they realize that no one is going to tell them the solution.  My class teaches students how to think on their own and how to collaborate with others.  We shouldn't wait until they are adults to learn these skills."
     Experiential Learning is an addition to Union Academy thanks to Dr. Walters.  "I believe Experiential Learning works hand in hand with our school's charter of developing the whole child.  It is an intentional approach to develop skills for life success that are not part of the regular curriculum.  Learning to work with others, develop compassion, and how to reflect on life's lessons are just a few of the benefits we expect to see through EL."  According to Mrs. Rushing, that is the beauty of her lessons.  "Because the group dynamics determine the final outcome, you never really know exactly what will be taught and it may be different for each child.  I can teach this lesson six times and walk away with each group learning something slightly different, all just as important."  For instance in this activity, one class walked away thinking about how important it is to ask for help and to offer help to those who look lost.  Another group reflected on how important it is brainstorm with each other and to plan before jumping into an activity. "Those unexpected lessons are just as important, or sometimes more important, than any that I may have planned."
     In a few short weeks, Experiential Learning has already demonstrated it's usefulness.  It is an excellent example of how UA defines character to include thinking, feeling, and doing (Principle 2 of the 11 Principles of Character Education) and how UA has a comprehensive, intentional, and proactive approach to teaching competencies needed for real-world success (Principle 3).

Chart above from http://www.joe.org/joe/2007february/a2fig1.jpg

20-Time: Building Innovation and Character

    

Principal 6 of the 11 Principals of Character Education indicates that a school of character will provide a meaningful and challenging academic curriculum that respects all learners, develops their character, and helps them succeed.  One perfect example of Principal 6 at Union Academy is 20-Time in Rachel Tohill's English III Class.

Jonathan Alzate, Braden Eilerman, Jacob Barringer,
 and community supporters at the Dedication Ceremony.

    20-Time is based on Google’s innovative work policy which gives employees 20% of their work time to collaborate and create personal ideas that could advance Google. Just as Google has realized real advances from 20-Time, so has Union Academy. This year, Mrs. Tohill provided her students 20% of the their class time to think outside the box.  
     According to Mrs. Tohill she taught 20-Time because, "I wanted to give my students an opportunity to explore their interests and make real-world connections to English Language Arts standards. An important component of the project involved the students taking the lead on the process and understanding that the process itself was as important as the final results. In the end, we had products that included videos, photography, interviews, blogs, community service projects, construction projects, graphic design, writing, auto mechanics, animal rescue initiatives, art projects, school spirit projects, and the list goes on. And some of the projects are continuing beyond the school year; they have gone from being a "project" to being a real world experience, which is very exciting." 20-Time developed all of UA's 8 Character Traits in Mrs. Tohill's students, but especially put into practice initiative, perseverance, and responsibility.
     

One of the most successful projects was the installation of a putting green on the UA campus. Three students in the class, Jacob Barringer, Braden Eilerman, and Jonathan Alzate developed the idea and managed the installation of a new golf green, chipping mat and sand bunker located near the football stadium at the Upper Campus. It took eight weeks for the students to research, identify resources, develop contacts and to actually participate in the construction and installation of turf.    
     "I'm so impressed with my students that they jumped in to this experience with only 8 weeks to complete it, and only having just met me as their teacher! They took risks, explored ideas, and embraced the opportunity to be creative and to think "outside of the box." We really became a team in this experience and learned so much!" said Mrs. Tohill. 
     Students appreciated the 20-Time project as well.  Kaitlyn Havican, an eleventh grade student wrote an interactive book of devotionals/gospels for middle school girls.  "I learned how to budget my time. I learned that you need to proof read over and over again! 20-Time was an awesome experience for me. I was able to get out of my comfort zone and do something I love. I got to think for myself and make an impact on people." 
    Would you like more information on 20-Time and how to implement it in the  classroom?  Take a look at this presentation created by Mrs. Tohill as part of her own 20-Time project or try this amazing website filled with ideas and template.  

Union Academy is named a National School of Character!

Now the entire nation will know what we at Union Academy have always known to be true and practice every day and that is “We do the right thing even when no one is looking.”  

On Tuesday, May 10 Character.org, a national advocate and leader for character education announced that Union Academy had been named a 2016 National School of Character. In January we learned that we had been named a 2016 North Carolina School of Character and had been nominated by the North Carolina State Board of Education and Department of Public Instruction for the national honor.

Through an in-depth and rigorous evaluation process, our school was one of 67 in the nation found to be an exemplary model of character development. Union Academy is being recognized as a school that has demonstrated its use of character development to drive a positive impact on academics, student behavior, and school climate. The designation of National School of Character stands for five years before it has to be renewed.

Please click here to read the entire press release.

 Please click here to read more in the May 13th - May 19th Newsletter. 

Please click to see media coverage from Page Crawford, Fox 46 News.

This article was written by the UA Communications Department.

Reading Buddies... And More!

     Ready Buddies are a tradition of the Union Academy Lower Campus that succeeds in building student relationships between grade levels, and in building confidence and excitement in students.   The idea began with having older students (grades Third and Fourth) pair with younger students (grade Kindergarten and First) for monthly reading time.  As it was originally intended, these reading times help both older and younger students gain confidence in their reading skills.  However, over the years, UA has discovered that there is much more to gain from the time shared together.
     Since its inception, the Reading Buddy time has morphed to also include students sharing with each other the things they are learning in their classroom.  For instance, Fourth grade students complete four projects throughout the school year centered around the history and geography of North Carolina.  Mrs. Hinson, a fourth grade teacher, asks her students to share their projects with their first grade reading buddies.  This experience gives her fourth grade students a chance to practice presenting to a small group and causes them to take more pride in all of their hard work.  According to Mrs. Anthony, first grade teacher, it also helps her younger students.  "You can see their interest perk up as they watch the older students share their projects.  This time together helps our younger students get excited about what they will experience as older students at UA."
     Over the course of a school year, these students have built relationships with each other.  They consider each other friends, or as one first grade student wrote to his buddy, "You are a hero."  Many Reading Buddies go out of their way to say hello to each other on the sidewalk or to send each other character mail.  Just this week, younger students thought about how they could help their 3rd and 4th grade friends get excited about the upcoming End of Grade tests.  Some classes took the time to write notes of testing encouragement to their older buddies. Principle 4 of the 11 Principles of Character Education focuses on how a school creates a caring community.  Lower Campus Reading Buddies are an excellent example of how Union Academy builds relationships between students of different grade levels, strengthening the "UA Family."

Union Academy Service Day: Rice Packing for Nicaragua

All 1400 Union Academy K-12 students and staff members gathered at the Upper Campus on Wednesday, March 23rd to pack over 50,000 meals for malnourished children and their families in Nicaragua, the second poorest country in the western hemisphere. The meal packing effort at the school was coordinated through Servants with a Heart, a non-profit organization founded in 2011 by husband and wife team, Jeff and Suzanne Yoh, who wanted to serve others together with their three adult children.
“Our mission is to feed hungry families in Charlotte and around the world by equipping organizations to host meal packing events,” said Suzanne Yoh. “Our food is primarily shipped and distributed to families in Nicaragua through our partnership with the Perry Brown Family and their nonprofit, Samaritans International. We also work with local Charlotte organizations to distribute food to local families.”
Wednesday’s rice packing event was the second for Union Academy. The school also helped the organization in April 2014 to meet its five year goal of packing its 10 millionth meal by the first week in July 2016.
“Union Academy’s mission is all about challenge, character and community. The rice packing event supports all three of these,” said Ann Walters, Union Academy headmaster. "It’s a great opportunity for our kids to not only learn about poverty, but to also participate in an effort to benefit those who suffer from it on a daily basis.”
Students, who are divided into “families” made up of elementary, middle and high school students, made three rotations during the half-day event. One rotation taught them about the culture and need that exists in Nicaragua, another gave them an opportunity to taste the meals they were packing and decorate the packing boxes, and a third provided participation in the actual rice packing assembly lines. Union Academy school counselor Kelly Brun said, “Our hope is that our students will learn that it feels good to give back and we hope that feeling stays with them and leads to a lifetime of serving their communities. Each meal we packed today goes directly from our kids’ hands to the hands of starving kids in Nicaragua.”
Article by Luan Ingram

Click here for an article published in the Union Weekly about the event.

Union Academy Named 2016 North Carolina School of Character

Union Academy is pleased to announce that it has been named a 2016 North Carolina School of Character by Character.org, a national advocate and leader for the character education movement in collaboration with North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. The program recognized Union Academy as a school that has demonstrated its use of character development to drive a positive impact on academics, student behavior, and school climate.

The Schools of Character application process is an opportunity for schools and districts to receive thoughtful feedback for growth and excellence in the area of character development. It is also a method of recognizing exemplary schools and districts in the nation. Union Academy is the first charter school in North Carolina to receive this designation and is one of only four school recognized in the state this year. Criteria for the designation are based on Character.org’s 11 Principles of Effective Character Education, which includes providing students with opportunities for moral action, fostering shared leadership and engaging families and communities as partners in character-building efforts.

"Going through the application process was an eye-opening experience for me. As a proponent of UA's Character Education program, I often find myself focusing on what could be better and not celebrating all of the things we do right. After looking at the 11 Principles, I realized the impact that our Character Education program has had on the entire UA Family and the greater community. Due to our culture, 95% of students return to our school each year and we have a 93% student attendance rate. Last year 98% of our graduates were accepted into college. As a school we give back to the community, with last year's high school students completing over 19,000 service hours, not to mention the many hours served by our students in grades K-8. Community and family engagement is high, best noted in the accumulation of over 24,000 volunteer hours in 2014-15 school year. This is the data that proves that Union Academy is a School of Character," said Kelly Brun, Character Education Counselor.

Character Education has always been at the forefront on Union Academy's mission. When the school was established in 2000 the character education journey began in the founding principles of the charter itself. The charter was developed by parents to create a school that educates the whole child by incorporating community service and eight guiding character traits into a challenging curriculum. Challenge, Character, and Community are Union Academy's core values that guide every aspect of the school. The Character Education program involves parents, staff, students, and community members. Ultimately, the goal is to teach and model character in an effort to create a culture that develops students into good citizens, lifelong learners, and community volunteers. Designation as a North Carolina School of Character indicates that Union Academy is meeting that goal.

According to Kelly Brun, "UA's character education journey will never end. Our goal for modeling character will continue to grow and change just as our school and society change. This designation doesn't mean that we are finished. It means that as a school we are on the right track for educating students to be the best citizens they can be. That is what makes Union Academy a School of Character."

Visit www.character.org to learn more about the Schools of Character program.

Teaching Character through Team Leadership Jobs

While every student may not excel in athletics, every child feels valued and important in Kate Schill's lower campus Physical Education class.  "My team  counts on me," said Hayley in 2nd grade.  "As Equipment Manager I have to do a lot!" This is the culture that Miss. Schill has created for her students.   Through the development of student jobs, the lower campus gym is a place where every student matters and feels the responsibility to help others.

"I started team jobs over ten years ago for a variety of reasons," said Miss Schill.  Each quarter, students are placed into teams of 5 and assigned individual jobs for the team.  From Clothing Keeper to Problem Solver, each student is given responsibilities and consequently learn to work effectively together.  You can see right from the start that it helps create order and cuts down on chaos, but this is secondary to helping students practice leadership and Union Academy's eight Character Traits.

The skills learned in elementary PE are remembered years later as evidenced in speaking with current eighth grade student Jack Vitacco.  "I loved PE with Miss Schill," he said.  "Because of the teams in her class I was able to get to know my classmates better. I learned to never give up, even if it seemed too hard."   That is another benefit of student jobs; they help students feel connected to others by building relationships.  In addition, they provide opportunities for students to feel regular successes and appreciated.

Miss Schill advocates that all classrooms could benefit from creating student jobs in their classrooms.  Leader In Me, by  S, Covey states that teachers begin by asking themselves, "What can students do that I am currently doing?"  The key is not so much the jobs the students are doing, but the fact that they are taking ownership for the orderliness and success of the classroom.  Take a look in Miss Schill's gym.  Talk to her current or previous students and you will see that the lessons they learn in her PE class are more than how to hold a hockey stick or the proper form for push-ups.  They learn that they are significant to achieving their own success and to the success of others.  Those are the long-term lesson of Character Education.

Teachers and staff look below for some ideas on ways to create leadership jobs for students:

Help spread the word on how Union Academy focuses on Character Education.  Email Kelly Brun at kbrun@unionacademy.org with suggestions on a teacher, lesson, activity, or practice that should be highlighted on this blog.

Union Academy hosts Jerry Ackerman, speaker on Social Media Awareness for Parents and Students

This week, Union Academy hosted guest speaker, Jerry Ackerman, who addressed parents and high school students on Social Media Awareness.  Mr. Ackerman is a leading student speaker who helps students be responsible, develop character, and build a focus on others, instead of just themselves. When Technology Director, Katie Stewart discovered the opportunity to have Jerry speak at Union Academy, she knew that the school could not pass up his presentation.  "Social media issues and communication are such a hot topic in today’s society.  I felt like both Union Academy parents and students could benefit from hearing how to stay safe online, how to communicate effectively, and how to be responsible while using technology," said Mrs. Stewart.  

On Tuesday night, Mr. Ackerman spoke on "Parenting the Snapchat Generation".  In his workshop, parents learned about the current state of technology in a student's life and rules that parents should have for their child and technology.   He discussed the dangers involved in applications such as Snapchat, Thumb, Burn Note, and Down which can open users up to communicating with unknown  persons and cyberbullying.  Parents learned about apps that can be used to hide media including videos, texts, documents, and PDFs (often disguised as a calculator). In addition, Mr. Ackerman provided useful tips to parents such as using Life360 to help keep up with your child's location.  "I learned so much from the presentation and was reassured that it's OK to be a protective parent.  It is not a violation of privacy to keep up with who my kids are communicating with online and it is my job to protect them from online dangers," said Amy Plyer, a Union Academy parent and employee.    

On Wednesday morning, Mr. Ackerman addressed the high school student body with his keynote, "Dude.  Be Nice."  In this workshop, he discussed with students the "dos and don'ts of social media" and why a person's online identify matters long term.  He provided real life examples to drive home his points.  Personal responsibility, respect, and compassion for others were key topics.  Senior Shawna Sheperd felt that Mr. Ackerman's message "was a good reminder of our social media footprint and how it can affect our lives."   Throughout the presentation, Mr. Ackerman used student volunteers to demonstrate his message.  The students appreciated Mr. Ackerman's high energy and anecdotes that drove home the message on making good choices and showing good character.

Guest speakers such as Mr. Ackerman are just one of the many ways UA strives to meet its mission of educating the whole the child and facilitating collaborative family and community involvement.