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Showing posts with label Jordan Small Middle School. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jordan Small Middle School. Show all posts

Friday, March 6, 2020

The 2020 Chase Wescott Award winner announced

(L to R) Coach Jim Beers, Jake Goslant, Chase Wescott
By Matt Pascarella

In 2019, the Chase Wescott Basketball Heart Award was created at Jordan Small Middle School (JSMS). Last month, Jake Goslant became the second recipient of the award.

“At JSMS we already had a soccer award and a baseball award, but nothing for basketball,” explained basketball coach Jim Beers. “And while there have been plenty of former players, I could have named the award for Ben MacDonald, Austin McGowan, Orion Beers, Connor Pittman, Andrew Wing, Jakob Emery, and Colby Mizner; they all culminated into Chase.

Chase Wescott was on the team when Beers decided to create the award. “Chase is a tremendously hard worker, constantly looking to improve, always staying late, having to work harder than those it came naturally to, being a great teammate, being a leader...this is what the award is all about,” added Beers.

https://www.egcu.org/cardWescott averaged 16 points a game, he hit 25 three pointers his eighth-grade year and just had a real successful first year at Windham High School. Coach Beers attended several of Wescott’s games and watched him get better each time. Wescott was someone who had to overcome a lot: attitude wise, education wise, even ability wise to stand out and that’s exactly what Jake Goslant has also done.

When Goslant was in seventh grade, he had trouble showing respect to his teachers. He was in the Special Education program for his entire seventh grade year. He received several talks from his
family including his grandfather and his mother who explained that his teachers were trying to help him improve. After that regular school year, he had to take part in summer school. “I came back [with the] mentality to be a good student and be a good role model for everyone,” Goslant stated.

Goslant remained in the special education program for the first third of his eighth grade year and after much hard work, was able to leave the program in December 2019.

Once basketball started, Goslant was excited and wanted to keep up the hard work to play on the team. He received encouragement from his dad that he had the potential to do really well at basketball because of his height, and his hard work would be crucial when he played basketball in high school.
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He worked hard to become a great player. He had strong work ethic, he stayed late and set goals for himself. Coach Beers said he went far beyond those goals, not just on the court, but in the classroom. He averaged six points and ten rebounds a game. 

When Goslant heard about the Chase Wescott award, he really wanted it and knew he had to work hard to get it. His hard work soon paid off.

“When I heard that I was going to get it I was so happy; everything that I did through last year – maturing – helped. When I came back from that day and everyone heard that I got it, I got ‘good job, good job, you deserved it,’ my heart was like ‘oh my god; people care about me.’ Last year I felt like no one liked me at all.”

It meant a lot to him to be noticed for his hard work.

https://www.facebook.com/merrifieldfarm/“I know Jake wants to go on to play basketball and football in high school; I think now with this award, it will spur him to realize that people do care, people are noticing his play, people are noticing his turnaround in the classroom, socially, and they might recognize him more now and take him seriously, because...this young man has the fire to go show high school what he’s made of and I think he’s ready to do that,” commented Beers.

In addition to his hard work, his parents and older brother, Austin, have been big sources of encouragement for Goslant.

Goslant plans to play basketball and football in high school and long term wants to play college football for the Texas Longhorns.
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Friday, November 1, 2019

New librarian brings love of books and artistic talent to JSMS

Mari Dieumegard with the two
books she has illustrated
By Briana Bizier

Not many librarians can showcase their own work in their library’s collection. Yet this is true for Jordan Small Middle School’s new librarian, Mari Dieumegard, who has also illustrated two children’s books.

I’ve always loved books,” Mari Dieumegard, with a smile. “I love reading young adult books, and I love making children’s books. This job is really the best of both worlds.”

Originally from Alaska, Dieumegard has fond memories of visiting her grandparent’s camp in Monmouth, Maine over the summers. She attended Lewis and Clark College, located in the other Portland, before moving to Maine to attend the Maine College of Art. After graduating with her BFA, Dieumegard began teaching in an independent school in Portland.

My mom was a teacher,” Dieumegard stated, “so working with kids came naturally.”

While teaching, Dieumegard was also developing her career as an independent artist and illustrator. In a process familiar to many who work in the arts, she sent out innumerable query letters and samples of her illustrations to publishers and agents. She also moved away from the independent school in Portland and began working as a substitute teacher in the RSU14 system of Windham and Raymond.

When a position opened up in the Raymond Elementary School library, Dieumegard applied and was hired. Then, three years after sending out her many query letters, Mari was contacted by Islandport Press of Yarmouth. Would she be interested, they wondered, in providing the illustrations for a new children’s book written by Jean Flahive? Dieumegard accepted their offer, and her first publication, “The Old Mainer and the Sea”, was released in October of 2017.

We had a book birthday party at the elementary school,” Dieumegard recalled. “It was really fun.”
My personal Raymond Elementary School insider, Sage Bizier, still remembers this book birthday party, so I can verify that it was indeed very fun. Dieumegard’s collaboration with the author Jean Flahive resulted in a second children’s book, “The Canoe Maker”, which was released earlier this year. Naturally, both books are available at the Jordan-Small Middle School library and the Raymond Elementary School library. You can also find signed copies of both books at Mari’s website: http://maridieumegardart.com.
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Although her illustrations focus on children’s books, Dieumegard’s love of young adult literature shines through her thoughtful book recommendations. She gave me a tour of the library while Lisa Schadler, the previous librarian at Jordan-Small Middle School, re-organized the book selection by genre to make it easier for young readers to find the books that appeal to them.
offering several recommendations for the voracious nine-year-old reader at my house.

I personally like fantasy and realistic fiction,” she said, “but I am trying to push my boundaries and read more horror and spooky stories so I can help the kids find what they want.”

Dieumegard also brings her considerable artistic talents to her position as a librarian. As the advisor to the Jordan Small library club, the LitWits, Dieumegard is currently sponsoring a logo design contest for the middle school students. She plans to teach students in the library club how to use Google Draw to create their own logo for the library. In a process that is a bit similar to Dieumegard’s own experiences submitting her illustrations to publishers, the students’ designs will then be posted online, and the school will vote to choose the winner.

This library is really a community space,” Dieumegard said. “Teachers will send their classes down here to work on projects, or students will come down with a library pass.” She smiled as a few young library lovers poked their heads into the sunny, open room.
It’s a job that doesn’t feel like a job.”

Friday, September 13, 2019

Raymond Elementary School dedicates new playground

Ribbon Cutting ceremony on the first day of school
By Briana Bizier

The first day of school is always exciting, but last week students at Raymond Elementary School and Jordan Small Middle School had an especially memorable event to mark the beginning of their academic year. As the bright September sun glittered off Panther Pond and Sebago Lake in the distance, students left their classrooms and walked to a new fenced field behind Raymond Elementary School.

Randy Crockett, the principal of Raymond Elementary School, welcomed students from both the
elementary and the middle school. After offering his heartfelt thanks to the community, parents, and local businesses whose generous donations helped with fundraising events such as last summer’s ice cream social and the annual holiday pie sale, Crockett described the elementary school’s new playground and play field.

We’ve installed a new balance apparatus,” he told the assembled crowd of teachers, students, parents, and community members, “as well as a climbing Webscape and two new sandboxes.”

http://www.hallimplementco.com/That towering blue Webscape, which immediately drew the interest of many of the children walking past the new playground, has an especially touching story. The entire structure was made possible by a generous gift from Raymond Elementary School kindergarten teacher Stephen Seymour, his wife Karen, and their family. This journalist can confirm that both the balance apparatus and the climbing Webscape appear to be much more fun than anything found on school playgrounds when I was
growing up.

The elementary school’s new sandboxes were built as an Eagle Scout project by Alex Brooks, who was once a student of Raymond Elementary School and now attends Windham High School. A second Eagle Scout project is planned to replace the playground’s storage shed that holds jump ropes, sporting equipment, and sleds.

Principal Crockett also took time to generously thank the Maine National Guard. Members of the 262nd Engineer Company (Horizontal), which is based in Westbrook, did the original earth work to clear the new play field, hauled in over 500 loads of gravel, and turned what had previously been a steep, forested slope into a grassy, level field.

It’s always great to give back to the community that supports us,” Major Kerry Boese of the Maine National Guard said at the opening ceremony.
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Alissa Messer, a parent volunteer who was instrumental in overseeing the playground’s construction, emphasized gratitude as she spoke to the students. “This playground is a labor of love,” she said. “Today, we are grateful for what we’ve been given.”

As the crowd applauded enthusiastically, the speakers held out their scissors and cut a wide, red ribbon, officially opening Raymond Elementary School’s new playground. The air filled with cheers as the students followed their teachers for tours of the playground equipment.

If you’d like to view Raymond Elementary School’s new playground and play field for yourself, it is open to the public after school hours and on weekends.

Friday, March 22, 2019

Theater provides confidence and team building for students at Jordan-Small Middle School

By Elizabeth Richards

On the last weekend in March, students at Jordan-Small Middle School (JSMS) will present the lively musical, “Jungle Book Kids.”

The show, adapted from Rudyard Kipling’s collection of stories, tells the story of Mowgli, an
abandoned baby raised by wolves deep in the jungle. Banished by tiger Shere Khan, Mowgli is guided towards a village by Bagheera, a panther. But the trip doesn’t always go smoothly, and Mowgli is reluctant to leave his jungle home. He meets a varied cast of friends and foes on his journey, which climaxes with a giant jungle battle.

Deb Doherty, the director of the show, has been a drama teacher in Southern Maine for over 30 years. She was the program and summer stock theater director at Point Sebago Resort for 20 years, and when she retired, she returned to educational theatre.

http://fiddleheadcenter.org/index.htmlDrama, she said, is the most amazing confidence builder, and not just on stage. “It’s handling situations, thinking quickly, it’s being able to work as a team,” she said. “Theatre brings a community together, it brings a cast together. Everybody has equal footing,” she said. And that includes not only cast members on stage, but technical crew, stage crew, and anyone else involved.

Student cast members said that the show gives them an opportunity to meet new people and get involved. Eighth-grader Elijah Strom, who plays Akela and Colonel Hathi, said he started doing shows when he was very young, encouraged by Doherty. “I loved it. It was very fun,” he said of that first experience. “I am happy to see her again, to do another show with her and learn some more,” Strom added.

Noah Mains, a seventh-grader, plays Shere Khan. He has been involved in theater at JSMS for three years. He enjoys doing plays because, “It gives me something to do instead of sitting at home doing nothing,” he said.

Sixth grader Noah Campbell agrees. Campbell plays Baloo in the show, and this is his second year doing theater. “It gives me something to do after school, other than sit home and play video games and watch TV,” he said. He really enjoys performing for an audience, he added, and though he was nervous about his first show last year, this year he isn’t feeling nervous, he said.

Leila Laszok, a fifth-grader, is playing the role of Mowgli, and this is her first show ever, she said. She’s excited to finally be able to participate, something she has looked forward to since elementary school, she said. Playing a major role feels good, but is also scary, she said. “I like meeting new friends in here,” she added.

Meeting new friends from the whole range of grades is one benefit of participating, the cast members said. “When you’re in school, normally fifth-graders don’t talk to eight-graders,” Campbell said. Now, he added, kids from a range of grade levels can have real conversations with each other.
Laszok said that being involved in drama gives her something to look forward to at school. Mains agreed. “It’s definitely my favorite part of the school day,” he said.

https://www.orangecircuitfitness.com/The cast members said they have a lot of fun together, and they are excited about the costumes this year. They agreed that dancing and memorizing lines are among the most challenging aspects of doing a show. Learning to improvise is important, they all said. Strom said he learned this important skill from Doherty. “Even if I mess up, I’m still going to keep it going, and just have fun with it,” he said.

“Jungle Book Kids” will be presented on Friday, March 29th at 7 p.m., and Saturday, March 30th at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m at Jordan-Small Middle School. Tickets can be purchased at the door.

Friday, July 13, 2018

Jordan Small Middle School student places first for Maine in SIFMA Foundation’s InvestWrite® essay competition by Elizabeth Richards

Taylor Juhase
When 12-year-old Taylor Juhase moved from Connecticut to Maine, she transitioned from private school to public school for the first time. And it was at Jordan Small Middle School in Raymond that she discovered the world of investing, through their participation in the SIFMA Foundation’s Stock Market Game™. Juhase then participated in the InvestWrite® essay competition, emerging as the first-place winner for the state of Maine.

The competition involved choosing a nonprofit organization and detailing, in writing an investment plan designed specifically for that organization. Juhase chose Save the Children. In her essay, she wrote “I chose Save the Children because I have a little brother and I would do anything to keep him safe…Save the Children believes every child deserves a future.”

Juhase said she didn’t know anything about investing before participating in the Stock Market Game™ in Jack Fitch’s math class. While she said she still doesn’t understand all of the nuances, she gained enough understanding to impress the panel of judges.

http://www.mwamconcerts.com/Reinforcing what they have learned in the Stock Market Game™ is what the competition is all about, according to a press release from the SIFMA Foundation. “InvestWrite® enables students to develop the personal financial savvy needed to make practical financial decision with confidence and gain a deeper understanding of economic opportunities, consequences, and benefits,” the press release read. “Students consider real-world events and news, conduct research online, and develop investment recommendations. They work in groups during The Stock Market Game program and then write their InvestWrite® essays individually to reflect their critical thinking, analysis and creative talents.”

Juhase said she found out that she won while at school. “It was exciting, but at the same time I was a little sad, because my other friend was sad that she didn’t win,” she said. This compassion that she has for others came through in her essay as well. “I am fortunate enough to have everything I need to have a good and healthy life. My family has food, water, money and a roof over our heads. I can’t even imagine a family in the world starving, having nothing at all to protect children from harm,” she wrote.

Writing about investing was challenging, Juhase said, because she didn’t know much about it prior to this experience. She researched nonprofits online, as well as information on bonds and mutual funds. Now, she said, she thinks the process is really fun. “You really get to communicate and talk about the stocks,” she said. The essay took a couple of weeks to complete, Juhase said. They had time in math class to work on it, and she received support from her teacher and some friends, she said.

All of the attention has been a little overwhelming, Juhase said, since she typically isn’t much of an attention seeker. She added that when she moved to Raymond she felt really welcomed. Her grandmother, Patricia Juhase, said she has found a nice group of friends with whom she has bonded.

Juhase and Fitch were honored at a surprise event at the school in early March. Representatives of the SIFMA Foundation and other special guests were in attendance. Juhase was awarded a medal, a trophy, a t-shirt, flowers and a $100 gift card said Patricia, who travelled from Connecticut to attend the event.
           
“When I read her essay, I was truly amazed at what she wrote, for a 12-year-old,” Patricia said. “We’re very proud of her.”
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The following is Taylor Juhase’s winning essay:

Save the Children

Did you know that Save The Children helps children in 120 countries including the U.S. I chose-Save The Children because I have a little brother and I would do anything to keep him safe. I could never imagine him growing up to a terrible future or life. Save The Children believes every child deserves a future. In the U.S. and around the world, they give children a healthy start in life, and. the opportunity to learn and be protected from harm. I want to help kids my age have a good life that they deserve. This means that they need clean water and healthy food to grow to be healthy and strong. No matter what the challenge is, they always put children first in everything they do. They do everything from child protection to hunger and livelihoods. No one wants a child to be not well treated or have a horrible life.

The day I was hired by this non-profit organization I told the people in charge that in my investment strategy diversification was important because they need to protect all of their money. I diversified their funds into mutual funds which are companies that take money from investors and invest the money in securities such as stocks, bonds, and also short-term debts. The combined holdings of mutual funds. are known as portfolios. Investors buy shares in mutual funds. Each share represents an investor's part of ownership in the fund and the income generated. Bonds are very similar to loans. 

When you invest in a bond you let a company borrow your money. According to U.S. News and World Report, DFA Five-Year Global Fixed Portfolio (DFGBX) and Franklin Income Fund are good mutual funds they can invest in. The third place I invested their money was in high quality growth stocks in all the different sectors of the market to keep risk to a minimum. I believe these strategies keep Save The Children viable for years to come.

http://www.hallimplementco.com/I am fortunate enough to have everything I need to have a good and healthy life. My family has food, water, money and a roof over our heads. I can't even imagine a family in the world starving, having nothing at all to protect children from harm. I think about how good of an education I get and a lot of children around the world cannot go to school. In 2012 Save The Children launched the Every Beat Matters campaign, giving Americans a way to help millions of children survive. Also, in 2012 the Syrian Civil War killed thousands of children, and many more were harmed, traumatized, or forced to leave their homes. Save The Children was keeping the children safe in very dangerous conditions.

Save The Children provided the children with the basics that they needed. In 2011 a terrible drought struck the horn of Africa. Save The Children helped about 942,000 children providing them with child friendly spaces, education and counseling services, reuniting children with their families and providing foster families if needed.

Making investment strategies will ensure that Save The Children will always have the finances to be successful and will be able to save more kids in the future.

Friday, May 18, 2018

Jordan-Small Middle School students apply knowledge from water project in creative ways by Lorraine Glowczak

Ryanne Greene and Macie Ennis explain the water cycle
Sixth-grade students from Jordan-Small Middle School released hundreds of baby brook trout in the Presumpscot River on Tuesday, May 8 as part of a collaborative, educational effort with the Portland Water District’s TroutKids Program. On the day of release, the students performed water quality tests, macroinvertebrate sampling and conducted shoreline assessments to ensure the new habitat was healthy for the trout. The purpose of the project was to help the students gain insight into local water issues; take a role in its future protection and to apply the information in creative and fun ways.

The TroutKids project began in early January when the students received the fish eggs, raising them until their release last week. Their projects entailed scientific evaluation and record keeping and making sure the water in the fish tank remained at a certain Ph level, in order for the fish to grow in a healthy environment.

http://windhamtheater.org/Additionally, the students studied the trout life cycle, the water cycle, the watershed and other related environmental topics; such as storm water runoff as well as the importance of composting and recycling. They also learned the history of water filtration and wells that dates back as early as 500 BC.

Of the many things the students learned, the most reiterated topic was the importance of keeping our waters clean, fresh and pollutant free. Not wasting water was also a noted topic, realizing that there is not an endless supply. “Some people in other countries, such as some countries in Africa, have to walk thousands of miles to get water,” stated students Ryanne Greene and Macie Ennis, whose project included artwork of the water cycle.

Artwork was one form students chose to share what they learned during the project. Others applied and presented their new-found knowledge with PowerPoint presentations, slide shows with music, books, games and other “call to action” strategies. The students will present their projects in a school-wide event to share what they learned with the other grade levels.

The Splish Splash game
Students Marlie Ennis and Elizabeth Gurney created the game, “Splish Splash”, to teach the correct call of actions one needs to take for the future of healthy water. In order to advance on the game board, the player has to answer the problem correctly. The questions have multiple choice answers. Responding to the questions correctly will allow the participant to move on to the next space and win $50. An incorrect answer could land you in jail.

Maya VanHise, Bailey Butts and Stella Feenstra wrote a children’s book. The story is about a student who goes on a field trip but does not dispose his trash properly, leaving the garbage behind to soil the water. There are a few individuals who come along to help pick up the trash left behind by the story’s main character. Together, they start a Save the Water Club. “These ‘helpers’ are actual representations of the Jordan-Small teachers,” explained VanHise, Butts and Feenstra. “And the purpose of the story is to teach younger students ways not to pollute the environment. The story explains how one person can make a difference.”

https://www.egcu.org/homeDiana Austin created call to action signs to be placed on all the trash cans in the Jordan-Small Middle and Raymond Elementary schools. On the sign, it reads “Is this trash or compost?”  The purpose of the sign is to encourage individuals to dispose of trash properly and recycle when appropriate. Austin is in the process of delivering her signs to the teachers, but her project will not end there. “After a couple of weeks, I will go around to interview the teachers to see if my sign actually made a difference,” Austin stated.

The science teachers Jack Fitch, Adina Bassler and Lynne Estey (who is also the coordinating teacher with the Portland Water District) spoke about their endless amazement at the talent, creativity andpassion for learning their students encompassed and applied to this water project.

“I have learned not to set boundaries with what students can learn and how they apply what they have learned,” stated Estey; “Because they have always exceeded my expectations.”

Friday, February 23, 2018

Principal keeps unique promise by Lorraine Glowczak

Film director and novelist, Neil Jordan, has been quoted as saying, “Never make a promise – you may have to keep it.” Perhaps it is possible that Randy Crockett, Principal at Jordan Small Middle School never heard or considered that statement when he challenged the JSMS students with their school-wide Pennies for Patients fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

“Mr. Crockett made the pledge that if our school could fund raise over $500, then he would kiss a cow,” explained Lisa Schadler, JSMS Librarian. “Of course, the kids took him up on that challenge and overachieved!”

It seems over achievement is an understatement. The students raised $1036.84 total and of that amount - Grade 5 collected $550.
Staying true to his word, Crocket honored his promise with a “Kiss the Cow” ceremony on Friday,
February 16 at 12:50 p.m. on the grounds of JSMS just prior to the annual staff/student basketball game.

https://www.egcu.org/autoSeventh grade student, Finley Sabasteanski and his parents, Kristina and Matt provided the barnyard animal whose name is Daisy. Daisy waited patiently while Crockett kissed her on the forehead as the students observed, laughed and enjoyed watching their principal keep his word.  

The money collected by the students will go towards the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, a non-and philanthropy.” 
profit health organization dedicated to finding cures for blood cancers. According to their website, part of their Student Series’ Pennies for Patients program helps raise money to fund research for therapies that save the lives of blood cancer patients. The website states, “by participating in Pennies for Patients, teachers will have new opportunities to incorporate service learning and character building into their curriculum. Students will also learn about service, leadership

LK Kulaw, JSMS Health teacher, was the organizer of this event. Both she and Mr. Crockett were unavailable for interviews due to winter break.

For more information about the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Student Series efforts, peruse their website at www.studentseries.org.

Friday, February 2, 2018

Civil Rights Team begins “No Name Calling Week” with an all school assembly by Lorraine Glowczak

The Civil Rights Team at Jordan-Small Middle School (JSMS) designated the week of January 29 to February 2 as “No Name Calling Week.”

As a way to begin and introduce the program, the team invited Brandon Baldwin, Program Manager of the Civil Rights Team Project headed by the Maine Attorney General’s office, to present an all school assembly on Monday, January 29 at 1 p.m. 

The JSMS Civil Rights Team with Brandon Baldwin
The 45-minute presentation was entitled, “The Power of Words” with a focus on bias-based language.
After a brief introduction by Principal Randy Crockett, Baldwin first explained that bias-based language includes insults that are offensive and include hurtful words and phrases. They also include expressions that demean or exclude people because of age, sex, race, sexual orientation, ethnicity, social class or certain physical or mental traits.
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Baldwin began his presentation with a personal story to show how words can affect people deeply and why it is inappropriate.

“When I was in the fifth grade, I was growing quickly and had out grown my winter coat,” Baldwin began. “My mom took me shopping and I found the perfect coat. It was a red, puffy, White Stag
brand coat and I loved it. Not only was red my favorite color, but I loved the white stag pendant which hung at the bottom of my zipper. I couldn’t wait for the first cold day so that I could wear it.”

The cold day finally came and he was proud of that red, puffy coat as he stepped onto the bus. But his excitement was soon destroyed. “When I sat down with my older brother’s friends, one of them said to me, ‘That coat is so gay.’”

Baldwin never wore that coat again. Ever. That is how powerful one word or one sentence can affect an individual. “I remember feeling horrible and never wanted to be seen in it again,” Baldwin said of that childhood moment.

As an adult looking back, he shared insights on the many ways a word that gives a sexual orientation to describe an inanimate object was inappropriate then and still is today. 

He continued with his presentation that included a poem by an African American poet, Countee Cullen who is famous for the following poem, entitled, “Incident.”

Once riding in old Baltimore,
Heart-filled, head-filled with glee,
I saw a Baltimorean
Keep looking straight at me.
Now I was eight and very small,
And he was no whit bigger,
And so I smiled, but he poked out
His tongue, and called me, 'Nigger.'
I saw the whole of Baltimore
From May until December;
Of all the things that happened there
That's all that I remember.

Baldwin pointed out that in the seven months eight-year-old Cullen visited Baltimore, where he had many experiences, it was that one bias-based insult that he carried with him for the rest of his life. “This is how words can be powerful and damaging,” explained Baldwin.

Baldwin also explained that not only are these insults hurtful and long lasting, but they are against RSU14’s harassment policy.

The students listened quietly throughout the presentation and appeared to absorb the important message that was the week’s focus.

Laura Kulaw, who goes by LK, is the JSMS Civil Rights Team Advisor and Health Teacher stated that the students seemed very happy with the presentation. “They personally approached Brandon after the assembly and thanked him!” she said. 
The Civil Rights Team (CRT), which began as an organization last year, has already created many events to build awareness and education around this important issue.

“The team created a ‘Mix It Up’ at lunch day where students were encouraged to sit with students they didn't know very well and get to know them better,” stated LK. “I gave them suggested topics to talk about such as, if you had one super power what would it be and why, what is your favorite season, favorite sports team, an accomplishment they were proud of, etc. We also highlight Black History Month, Women's History Month and Native American Heritage Month by displaying accomplishments of these groups around the school. Last year we also had a Day of Silence event where students took a vow of silence to represent LGBT students who were silent because of bias related harassment, bullying and stigma. The CRT made rainbow ribbons for their classmates to wear in solidarity.”

The team members, who meet every Wednesday at 2:15 p.m., include Cameron Landry, Stella Feenstra, Addison Starcher, Brianna Streaky, Vanessa Berry, Fiona Harmon, Katei Cockfield and Mackenzie Gervais. Parents are welcomed to join the group or be involved with the team in many ways. If interested, one can contact LK at lkulaw@windhamraymondschools.org. 

As for the team itself, it is “a group of kind, committed students who really care about making the school a warm, safe and welcoming place for everyone,” began LK. “They are dedicated to highlighting how to make the school community a place they can be proud of! I know without a doubt that I am super proud of them!”