By Sydney Comire ’21
Aaaaand that’s a wrap. Just as Impact Learning comes to a close, students at The Winchendon School gear up to resume a school favorite tradition : ColLABs!
After taking a break from ColLABs in the fall, students were issued the course offerings last week to choose their new project for the spring trimester period. (Seniors do not complete a ColLAB since graduation is right around the corner for the Class of 2021!!!) This time, ColLABs are looking a little different from previous years. ColLABs this year were split into two categories, the Freshman ColLABs and the Sophomore/Junior ColLABs.
The Sophomore/Junior ColLAB period is almost identical to other years. Students were given a choice of project from a extensive list with some examples including Learning the Art of Self-Defense with Ms. Bouldin, an Introduction to Woodworking with Mr.Sampson and Ms.Stoll, learning how to Start your own Etsy Business with Ms. Stacy, the annual “Pop Up Band” with Mr. Delorme, and many many more! Students also have the opportunity to pursue an independent project or internship if a teacher-run ColLAB doesn’t pique their interest. Sophomores and Juniors will participate in their groups weekly to learn more about their topics, either by challenging what they already know or possibly learning something new, as well as beginning to prepare an idea of an individual or group final project for Symposium.
The Freshman ColLABs focus more on service and community based projects, falling under the tagline “The Struggle Is Real : Social Justice, Identity, and Community”. During these Freshman projects, students will work with other Freshman groups towards one larger goal. For the most part, Freshman are learning about food insecurity in the local Winchendon community and brainstorming ways to help solve the issue. Students were sent a form that included six group options ranging from the “Sustainable Outdoor Classroom”, to creating a community garden, to even working in a “Mobile Community Café”. While in larger groups than their Sophomore and Junior counterparts, the Freshman will have more hands to accomplish more ambitious projects like planting in our school garden, creating a new outdoor classroom space from completely recycled materials, learning to collect rainwater for the schools’ storage, as well as helping out our Winchendon community partners by donating proceeds from fundraisers towards families in need, gifting food from our garden to a food pantry, and spreading positivity through public art.
ColLABs are moving full force ahead here at the Winchendon School and we couldn’t be more excited to see what students will learn and create over the next two months!
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