We’ve all heard of Senioritis, a common and insidious affliction that turns once happy, motivated students into zombie like, contempt machines single mindedly committed to one goal. The only known cure? Graduation.
Here at Corpus Christi, we are not dealing with the severity of Senioritis, but there are small scale symptoms popping up at the end of the hallway. Our 8th graders are battling a low grade version of this well studied and totally curable scourge. As are their teachers. How to maintain motivation and inspiration even as the kids sport the high school sweatshirts indicating where they will be physically next year? Many of them are already mentally there!
The powers that be at CC have creatively addressed some of the acute symptoms with a program we call Enrichment. Think of it as a strong dose of brain and body vitamins designed to keep the kids engaged. We have parents to thank for this program, like so many others that benefit our kids during their tenure here.
Enrichment gives the entire 8th grade class an opportunity to step outside the classroom every Friday in May and experience learning opportunities. As creative and ambitious as our 8th grade parents want to be are the only constraints of this unique program. Each of these Fridays, a day where the symptoms seem most severe, parents host a small group of students on an adventure of learning. From creative pursuits, life skills, career opportunities to simply experiencing this beautiful Bay Area, our kids leave campus for encounters which open their minds to all that they have yet to learn.
This year, students have gone to the Tesla Car factory and an App development company. They toured Cal and took a ferry to ferry bay cruise with culinary treats on both sides. Our eighth graders have learned basic auto maintenance and hit the links to work on their golf games. You can see some of the artwork in the hallway from the photography class. There is a BBQ class and an Italian cooking class. The kids are offered these electives, rank their top choices and groups of 8 to 14 kids embark on these outings with great anticipation.
We see them as they return, smarter in some subject, confident in their abilities and with a new understanding of what it means to be at the end of one learning journey and at the beginning of so many more. We are so grateful to the parents whose generosity and creativity make these classes not only possible, but truly enjoyable.
Now, how to keep them engaged Monday through Thursdays in May...