Medfield SHINE Update

By Tori Bodozian

What more could a parent ask for than to have their child learn and have fun at the same time? This past March 30th at Medfield High School, participants in Medfield SHINE received just that. Medfield SHINE (Students Having Interesting New Experiences) is a student-run program modeled after the successful BC SPLASH.

In SHINE, Medfield High School students volunteer to take on the roles of teachers for a day, choosing their own subjects, designing their own lesson plans, and teaching Dale Street's fourth-and fifth-grade students a wide variety of new skills. The MHS students have one hour to impart their knowledge to eager ears. Past classes have been as varied as Ballroom Dancing, Intro to Physics, How to Be a Ninja, and even a Harry Potter course! (A full list of last year's courses can be found here.) Dale Street students may sign up for any of the classes they desire, and there is such a wide spectrum of courses that there is something for everyone. And classes are 100 percent free!

Medfield SHINE has grown in success since its debut year, especially in the large increase in both MHS student participation and enthusiasm from the kids at Dale. "We had 26 student-teachers participating, 6 adults supervising, and around 50 kids who attended the classes," says SHINE co-founder and new MHS graduate Ashley Shen. "[That's] more than twice last year's numbers."

Why such an increase?

"Recruiting teachers and getting the administration of both schools on board was way easier because many people already knew what SHINE was, and we were better able to talk to them, and we already knew that the idea would work out!" she explains.

SHINE co-founder and fellow graduate Alena Sison also comments on this year's SHINE-ing success. "The SHINE program may not have been a big event, but even a small event can make a big difference in people's lives. That one day proved to make a lot of difference and I accomplished my goal," she explains. "It will always amaze me that in even a small town like Medfield, something that seems unlikely can become real with the right attitude and a will.”

With the two founding members of SHINE graduating earlier this month, as well as many of the student-teachers, some may wonder what's in store for SHINE. But don't be afraid; SHINE will live on. "We have two juniors who have expressed interest in taking it over. We'll pass on our knowledge and the Knewt," says Shen; the “Knewt” being a large, green, stuffed newt, SHINE's mascot. "The rest is up to them, but I think that SHINE will have a beautiful third year. So keep an eye out, Medfield!”

It's easy to see what the younger students get out of SHINE: an exciting, fun, and learning-filled day. But what do the student-teachers take away that keeps them coming back?

"The whole experience showed me how to lead, how to work hard, to never give up, and generally to become more dependent on my own skills and less for other people for help," says Sison. "The SHINE program made me a better person and taught me how to shine on."

Keep updated on SHINE, and explore past SHINEs here: http://medfieldshine.weebly.com/

This article was written by Tori Bodozian, a Medfield High School student and member of the student newspaper, The Kingsbury Chronicle. The piece is part of Medfield Patch's weekly series, "Warrior Weekly," helping provide information about MHS to the local community.