MicroSociety Academy Charter School Receives International Awards

MicroSociety Academy Charter School (MACS) was honored with 4 George Awards during the closing session of the 29th Annual MicroSociety Conference on July 12, 2022, which took place virtually this year. The 2022 awards recognized outstanding achievement during another extremely challenging school year due to the ongoing covid-19 pandemic.

The George Awards, named for MicroSociety’s late founder Dr. George H. Richmond, recognize outstanding achievement by students, educators, parents, and community partners who are engaged in the MicroSociety educational model, currently present in more than 120 schools and out-of-school-time programs in 20 U.S. states and five countries. Every year, the George Awards ceremony is a highlight of the MicroSociety annual conference.

George Awards recipients from MACS included Natalie Nguyen (US winner of the George Award for Student Leadership), Brooke Koskela & Natalie Nguyen (winners of the George Award for Student Government Leadership), Rachelle Fournier (US winner for MicroSociety Day School Teacher), and students of A&A Accessories (winners of the George Award for Student Venture).

• Natalie Nguyen (US winner of the George Award for Student Leadership)-

Natalie Nguyen was elected MicroCity President during the covid-19 pandemic and assumed her leadership with determination and grace. Every month, she compiled summary recordings for teachers to share with their students remotely and always offered words of advice and support. In the middle of the social unrest taking place in adult society, this student developed a personal HEART goal of engaging middle school citizens in discussions around social justice. She worked with the school’s guidance counselor on a social justice presentation, which she then gave to each middle school class to initiate conversations on these important topics. Then, when her term as president came to an end, she decided to run for Vice President, an unprecedented move, and took the opportunity to mentor the incoming president.

During her two years as a MicroSociety citizen, the motto of this young leader, which she often repeated to students was “Don’t forget to water your garden!” - a reference to self-care - and she designed and put up a garden-themed bulletin board, which included removable fruits and vegetables with self-affirming quotes that students could take and read whenever they needed a boost.

• Brooke Koskela & Natalie Nguyen (winners of the George Award for Student Government Leadership) -

Brooke Koskela (President) and Natalie Nguyen (Vice President) initiated a program where students could meet with them virtually over Google Meet to discuss any questions, concerns, or suggestions they had regarding Micro and other school matters. They led virtual congressional meetings and delegated responsibilities and when the school was able to start mixing classes again, these students seamlessly transitioned to in-person meetings. They established departments and inspired class representatives to take risks and try new things on behalf of their constituents. They planned, organized, and ran marketplace events, keeping everyone on track through procedures they constructed. In addition, this dynamic duo kept their campaign promise of a school-wide kindness campaign, “Reach for the Stars,” and inspired students to write affirmations to one another on colorful star-shaped notes, which then lined the halls for months as a live-with-kindness reminder. They also initiated “Pow-Wow with the Prez,” offering special time for citizens to be able to meet and ask questions or give suggestions for improvement. Finally, in keeping with the motto “Water your Gardens,” they led a vegetable garden campaign for the school yard.

• Rachelle Fournier (US winner for MicroSociety Day School Teacher) -

First Grade teacher, Rachelle Fourneir, is an outspoken advocate of voice and choice and learning that is meaningful and fun. Before her class decided on its venture for the year, she encouraged the kids to let their imaginations run wild as a way to increase levels of engagement and spark more meaningful learning experiences. In the end, the class started the ‘Space Center’ business, where they designed moon phase sliders, space-themed windsocks, solar system mobiles. They transformed their classroom to look and feel like a real planetarium and sold tickets to an interactive solar system show. This creativity could not have been tapped without the trust and support of this remarkable teacher, who truly believes in letting the kids take charge.

Always looking for ways to strengthen her practice and that of her colleagues, she used Micro to model an interdisciplinary approach to teaching. For instance, when teaching about life cycles, she began by reading Charlotte’s Web and having the children describe how the characters grow and change. From there, they compared the life cycles of the different animals in the book and wrote about the stages in the life cycle of plants and butterflies. Then they transitioned to hands-on learning as they planted their own plants, observed their growth, and then watched caterpillars emerge into butterflies. She wrapped up the unit by taking the class on a field trip to a local farm, where they actually got to meet different animals. Only four years on staff, she actively engages with others to offer wisdom and advice and makes a strong effort to collaborate with families to ensure they are involved in their child’s learning process and informed about important events, big projects, and various accomplishments.

• A&A Accessories (winners of the George Award for Student Venture) -

The two student owners and managers of A&A Accessories made a year-round effort to prioritize the quality of their products and stand-out customer service. One of the owners and managers constantly asked for feedback on how to improve her communication skills and the business as a whole. She showed up to work before school and stayed after dismissal to make sure everything was organized and ready to go for the next day. As she managed business aspects, her colleague took the lead on product development. She worked with the younger kids who needed extra support creating pieces and made sure everything went smoothly on the production floor.

The duo was extremely creative in their marketing and advertising efforts. They designed their own logo and included thank you notes inside each bag, and helped shoppers keep up to date through their website. They decorated hallways with elaborate decor and offered customized packaging as well finished pieces worthy of any adult purchase and of course teachers, parents, and community members love telling people that a child made it! In the spirit of teamwork, the two owners split their Micro Day profits equally among all employees.

MicroSociety Academy Charter School (MACS) is a tuition-free K-8 public charter school in Nashua, NH. For more information about MACS and the admissions process, please visit the school's website at www.macsnh.org.