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.

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.)   
 

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.