Category

Philanthropy Report

Sep 02
0

8th Grade Passion Project

By | Philanthropy Report

2021-22

8th Grade Passion Project

The 8th grade Passion Project is the capstone activity for students at Westside Neighborhood School. The purpose of the project is for students to engage deeply in a topic about which they are passionate, and that has the potential to positively impact others.
With a foundation in the United Nations Global Sustainable Development Goals, the intent of this project is to create a culminating experience for our students that helps them capitalize on their interests and integrate the various skills and understandings they have gained during their tenure at WNS. Equally, it is an opportunity to impact a community in need or resolve a current challenge or problem.
This project embodies the spirit of our school’s mission statement: “to create a community of lifelong learners that contributes to the world with confidence, creativity, curiosity, conscience, and compassion.”

During Passion Project, students have:

  • identified a problem in the world that they are passionate about and want to fix.
  • aligned this problem with one of the 17 U.N. Global Sustainable Development Goals.
  • researched their problem, potential solutions, and organizations with whom they may partner.
  • developed a solution or plan of action and submitted a detailed proposal of their idea to the Passion Project Committee for approval.
  • completed an interview with an individual to help them better understand their target issue.
  • worked closely with a mentor (from our WNS Human Library or outside) who has guided them throughout the process.
  • created a final product or presentation to be displayed at the Passion Project Exhibitions.
Starting in the Spring of 2022, WNS has collaborated with LumenSparQ, a non-profit organization whose mission is to spotlight and support local heroes in education. LumenSparQ runs the Ember Project, which focuses on supporting younger students performing a social good. For this inaugural year of the Ember Project, LumenSparQ selected Zoë Katz and Selah Johnson for their Passion Project work. Please visit the Ember Project page to learn how these students were supported by LumenSparQ in their projects.

To learn more about the Passion Project, see http://bit.ly/wnspassion.
Sep 02
0

Performing Arts

By | Philanthropy Report

2021-22

Performing Arts

Performing Arts at WNS returned in full-force for the 2021-22 school year! It took some reorganizing and reimagination due to some COVID limitations but we were able to successfully manage and pull off an amazing program all year long. The goal was to bring back a sense of joy and confidence as we gathered together (safely).
We were able to host nine performances on stage including the Winter Performing Arts Showcase, 3rd Grade’s So You Think You Can Dance, Unhinged (an 8th grade devised show), Puffs (a 7th/8th grade scripted play), the Middle School Musical called the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, a 4th Grade Performance of Devised, the 5th Grade Cultural Fair Devised Theatre, the Annual End of Year Talent Show, and the Middle School Choir Concert.
For the first time students had the opportunity to move the body in a different way in the inaugural Dance PE Elective. This class introduced and exposed multiple styles of dance to our students including Latin, theatre, street jazz, hip-hop, West African, tap and more!

Our family supports the WNS Performing Arts Program because we believe that the arts are fundamental to our humanity. The arts enable and inspire our children, fostering creativity, empathy, confidence and beauty. The arts also strengthen our communities socially, educationally, and economically—benefits that persist even during a pandemic that has been devastating to the arts. It has been fulfilling to see our children thrive in creative ways under the guidance of an extraordinary faculty.

Damani Johnson

Alumni, 5th and K Parent

Performing Arts Stats

  • 9: Total number of performances
  • 3: Number of plays/musicals performed (One devised and two scripted) 
  • Number of MS school students involved in: 
    • Spring Musical: 18 students worked on the musical (10 in the cast & 8 on tech crew)
    • Spring Play: 22 (17 in the cast & 5 tech crew) 7th/8th graders worked on Puffs. Seventh grader Gigi Svehlak directed the show!