EL SEGUNDO HERALD May 5, 2016 Page 3 School Spotlight El Segundo Middle School Students Take Charge in Their Communities In the hustle and bustle of the lunch hour, hordes of students crowded two tables planted in the center of the El Segundo Middle School (ESMS) quad. While such a commotion might normally cause alarm, students here gathered eagerly to write and post compliments on hundreds of Post-it® Notes. The event was just part of Dylan Chen and Veronica Ruiz’s 8th grade Community Project to promote kindness across campus, continuing the spirit of the school’s Challenge Day Program. Dylan and Veronica are among 280 ESMS 8th graders completing the project this year. The work of ESMS students like them recently earned El Segundo Middle School the Civic Learning Award of Merit from the Judicial Council of California. ESMS joins just two other middle schools in Los Angeles County and 14 middle schools across the state to receive such an award. A letter from the Chief Justice of California, Tani Cantil-Sakauye, honors ESMS’s “commitment to empowering students with knowledge, skills and interests that will enable them to actively participate in our democracy.” The letter notes that state officials are “particularly impressed that [ESMS] engages students in opportunities that incorporate research-based, proven practices in civic learning.” The school’s eighth grade Community Project, first implemented in 2014-15, is the primary driver earning ESMS the distinction. As part of the school’s International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme implementation, students engage in a yearlong process to identify and research a problem in their community, take action to address the problem, and reflect on the change process. All the while, they maintain a journal noting their efforts, seeking advice and counseling from their teachers, and consulting other mentors in the field. According to International Baccalaureate Organization literature, “the Community Project gives students an opportunity to Burkley & Brandlin LLP A T T O R N E Y S A T L A W Living Trusts/Wills, Probate, Employment Law, Personal Injury Trust and Estates Litigation, Business Litigation, Civil Litiga tion 310-540-6000 Lifetime El Segundo Residents *AV Rated (Highest) Martindale - Hubbell / **Certified Specialist Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law, State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization Brian R. Brandlin • Bruce R. Brandlin • Christopher P. Brandlin 16-2027ps_sby-ie-16-012 ©2016 lacmta Expo Line to Santa Monica Opens May 20 Metro Rail’s Expo Line to Santa Monica is only a few weeks away from the grand opening of seven new stations that stretch from Culver City to Santa Monica. As testing continues in the area, please remember to watch for trains. Learn more at metro.net/moreexpo. Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project Update Construction on the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project is halfway complete. To celebrate, Metro is inviting members of the community and public to our “Halfway There” event on Saturday, May 7. The free event will include food, games and performances from local businesses and artists. For details, visit metro.net/crenshaw. Sign up for TAP Card Balance Protection Give yourself peace of mind by registering your TAP card to protect its balance. In the unfortunate event that your card is lost or stolen, you can report it and the balance will be restored. To register, visit the new taptogo.net or call 866.TAPTOGO. Go Metro to see the Dodgers Want to reach Dodger Stadium faster this season? Go Metro from Union Station or the South Bay and connect with the Dodger Stadium Express. Your Dodger ticket is good for the fare! For more information, visit metro.net/dodgers. metro.net @metrolosangeles losangelesmetro All Price rAnges STARTING AT $500 The Jewelry Source 337 Main St. El Segundo. 310-322-7110 www.jewelrysourceUSA.com ©2007 ONE DAY ONLY! Featuring Jewelry and Watches from Cartier, Tiffany & Co., special Celebrity pieces and much more! Gems set in gold and platinum from small collections and grand estates, here and abroad. develop awareness of needs in various communities and address those needs through service learning.” Students this year have exceeded expectations in the depth and breadth of their projects ranging from providing quality literature to inmates, collecting and donating baseball equipment to the Lennox Little League, to providing musical entertainment at a local senior center. Kim Stern, 8th grade teacher and IB coordinator, explains that “what sets the Community Project apart is that instead of asking students what they would like to do, they just get in there and do it. They really create a personalized learning experience by identifying a passion of theirs, and taking action in the community.” ESMS students Gabi Desch-Obi and Natalie Cloutier-Chaine, who have hosted drives to donate items to neo-natal intensive care units, wholeheartedly agree. Gabi notes, “it really shows us that we can create change. Sometimes, it feels like we just get caught up in homework and school work, and through this project, we really make a difference.” “And we get to experience something totally different and see other perspectives out there,” Natalie chimes in. “Working with the NIC-u has been really eye-opening.” ESMS Principal, Jack Plotkin, notes the award from the state is validating students like Gabi and Natalie’s efforts. “I wish everyone could see the work each of our students are doing here. It is really remarkable – the project shows them they have power and also teaches them to clear the hurdles that arise when we try to create change. I’m very proud of them. And it’s nice to see the state is too!” El Segundo Middle School students will present their Community Projects the week of May 23 with a showcase of top presentations on May 27 in the ESMS Bulldog Hall, located at 332 Center Street, El Segundo, CA 90245. • “A letter from the Chief Justice of California, Tani Cantil-Sakauye, honors ESMS’s ‘commitment to empowering students with knowledge, skills and interests that will enable them to actively participate in our democracy’.” ESMS student Johnny Felker collects over 130 pairs of prescription glasses to donate to kids in need, providing them to local Optometrist Michele Rogers for distribution. ESMS student Allison Armijo delivers books for inmates.
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