Students Make Community Better With 'Change'

Over the past several months, a group of sixth graders have learned about math, science and history, among other things, have made friends and dealt with the ups and downs of pre-adolescence.

But, maybe most importantly, 110 of these students did their part in changing the world this school year under the direction of social studies teacher Matt Marciano.

In its third year as a class project, an action that helps others in some way, create the necessary steps to execute that action, and, ultimately, carry out the exercise.

On Tuesday, May 22, the students’ end results for their individual efforts was on display at the Middle School, with more than 100 poster boards hung on walls, doors, and laid on tables for parents and teachers alike to peruse.

Some students wrote and published , while others instructed or held . Many students, seeing a connection to their own grandparents, spent a day with the elderly at nursing or retirement homes.

Marciano said most projects proposed earlier in the school year stayed on course, but a few were changed during the process due to logistical reasons or time constraints.

“I’d love to see (Change the World) spread within the school,” Marciano said during Tuesday’s Gallery Walk event. “I also want to see them continue with these kinds of acts in their own lives as the get older.”

Earlier this year, Marciano brought in a keynote speaker to serve as a kick-off for the project. , spoke to the students about his foundation, Make Some Noise: Cure Kids Cancer Foundation, which has raised nearly $1 million so far.

Marciano’s classes have contributed to the foundation, donating loose change in the classroom. The total is hovering around $400, Marciano said, while the goal was just $250.

As students progress from sixth to seventh grade, they’ll take on new challenges, new studies, and new projects. 

But the few hours, days, or even weeks they spent changing the world around them this year will surely never be forgotten.