Middle school is a universally awkward and potentially traumatic time of life as one transitions from child to teenager. Adolescents are bombarded with a myriad of issues ranging from peer pressure to bullying to depression. Their world can often be a hostile one. Our response at CASE is to provide a safe environment where students can learn and develop friendships. Cultivating a place where students can be free of anxiety and social pressure is the goal.
The following series of photos shows a small sampling of what we did at CASE this year: a live debate, small business creation, acting and filming original movies, gardening. Through it all - our students had a blast! More than the activities themselves though, we hope that you can see what’s happening beneath the surface - the growing confidence, the developing friendships, and the excitement of learning something new.
The first step to successfully working with middle school students: embrace the chaos. Benjamin Reese rivals our middle school students in energy and competition - particularly when it comes to dodgeball games.
Our CASE debate, which had our two sites competing against each other, was a definitive highlight of the year. Students debated over whether or not cell phones should be allowed in school. Students crafted arguments on the topic of whether or not students should be able to use their cell phones during school hours. We had never seen our students support and encourage each other to the degree they did during this competition.
Students worked together to create a garden for Mrs. Palmer, an elderly widow in our neighborhood. Not only did students learn the processes of gardening, but they had the pleasure of seeing their harvest benefit another!
Amanda Byrd, Institute student, taught our students how to make a healthier version of soda sweetened with stevia leaves harvested straight out of our community garden. Students were amazed by the sweetness of the plant and how much healthier it was than processed sugar!
In a bicycle maintenance and riding seminar, students learned about different types of bikes, wheel sizes, and frames, the various purposes they have, and even how to change a bike tire!
Califarmia Food Truck Manager, Zach Hartnell, taught students some introductory concepts of business creation. Students were divided into teams, brainstormed their own business ideas, and finally presented them before a "Shark Tank" panel. Yancey's idea to have a booth at an upcoming fall festival won the competition.
The business creation workshops culminated in a Mexican Hot Chocolate booth at a local fall festival celebration. Students worked together to create the booth, produce marketing materials, and provide excellent customer service!
Using iPads, students had the chance to create a keynote presentation, newsletter, and even their own book this year! These projects developed students' capacity for writing, design, and oral presentation.
At our annual ShowCASE event, students shared the stories that they wrote and illustrated themselves. One student wrote an ABC book, inspired by her desire to help her baby brother learn to identify the letters of the alphabet.
A group of girls participated in a chorus group led weekly by Rebekah Davis. They learned various parts and harmonies, culminating in a performance of "A Thousand Years" at our ShowCASE event.
Put simply, we really enjoy our at time at CASE. We're thankful for the opportunity to invest into these students and pray our efforts would produce good fruit in their lives!
The C.A.S.E. program at Dupont Hadley Middle Prep is a program of the Nashville After Zone Alliance. The Nashville After Zone Alliance is a network of coordinated after school programming for Metro’s middle-school students. NAZA is a partnership among the Nashville Public Library, MNPS, and other existing youth-serving groups. It is modeled on successful efforts in other cities and is organized around geographically-defined zones.
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