Students Promote Innovation and Relationship Building at School 

A look at middle school clubs supported by teachers and innovation grants

Over the past few years, teams of teachers and students earned Innovation Grants to create positive changes at their schools. Here we review some of the lunch clubs that are giving our middle school students a voice in how they connect with their school and each other. (We will highlight clubs at TK-8 and elementary schools in a future article.)

• Monroe and Rolling Hills Podcast Clubs, led by Mr. Armann and Mr. Apilado, are using their lunch session as a platform to answer questions , develop passion projects, and discuss a wide range of topics of interest to their peers. The Innovation grant money has helped to acquire new podcasting equipment. Students are using it to improve their podcast skills, expanding on the Soundtrap podcasting and song-making elements.
• The Rolling Hills Photography Club, hosted by Mr. Neumann, is capturing moments of campus life and creativity. These budding photographers are sharing their stories through their lenses, experimenting with light, composition, and subject matter, and sharing their evolving skills and unique perspectives with the world. The club documents their growth as photographers and reflects the deep bonds of friendships being formed among club members.
• In Monroe’s Life Skills Club, led by Ms. Hulgan and Ms. Jasna Struble, students work on activities that can benefit them throughout their lives, such as cooking, sewing, budgeting, crocheting, and arts and crafts. Students participate in the Life Skills Club every Wednesday, and they will be brainstorming more ideas for the club going forward.
• The ABC (Art & Beautification Club) at Rolling Hills, led by Mrs. Fang, is breathing life into the school's surroundings with their artistic talents. This group of enthusiastic young, volunteer artists also are designing stencils and decorative pavers that will be placed around the school to inject color and creativity to the campus. The club serves as a platform for self-expression and reminds us that art can be a powerful catalyst for positive change and unity within the school community.
• The Computer Science and Minecraft Club at Monroe, led by Mr. Pittman, is collaborating to design a digital escape room. Students have been applying their critical thinking and coding skills to build a new world with a series of challenges for others to solve.

Learn more about middle school lunchtime clubs on the district’s
Art, Innovation, and Music programs here: bit.ly/cusdaimblog