On September 11, 16 charter buses left our tri-campus community and embarked on our largest C-Day to date! Nearly 700 juniors and seniors completed service experiences, living out their CAS journeys, with classmates. On campus, students participated in team building and self-reflection activities created with the Learner Profile in mind to develop their understanding of what it means to be an IA community member.
"I was surprised by just how much difference a group of students can make. We had pretty much no experience, little knowledge or skill with the task, and we had to share tools most of the time. Still, in just a few hours, we really made the place look nice. I'm usually one to work on my own, but I think I've really underestimated what collaboration can accomplish." - Senior
"We learned to work together efficiently but also leave room to have fun." - Junior
Teamwork, flexibilty, and a sense of humor became imperative as seniors took risks, communicated and demonstrated care with their peers from three campuses as well as their hosts in the Detroit neighborhood of Brightmoor. This is the first time tri-campus students have worked together en masse on a project of this magnitude.
A senior writes, "Something that stands out much is who we were helping. The owner of the home was someone who wanted to fix up the area in which she lived and bring life back to it. She described that the area didn't seem good on the outside but could be fixed up in order to make it new again. So, she worked so much on the area herself, cleaning weeds, trash, planting , etc. and needed some of our help to bring it along. I really enjoyed that concept and was so glad I could contribute to her dream."
Some seniors may choose to expand this experience into a longer, student-initiated CAS project!
"All it takes is the motivation and the effort to be a part of a cause bigger than yourself and want to cause a difference in your community" (Senior).
"I just had a lot of fun volunteering with my friends. We motivated each other to continue working, even when the sun was a little too much to handle, and in the end, seeing the whole area look so much nicer made me appreciate all the work we put in." - Senior
"Seniors were particularly fascinated by the fact that the couple leading our group in trash clean-up actually lived in the community where we were working. they opened up their home to us to wash our hands before lunch, and took the time to educate the kids about some of the unjust practices used in Detroit to push out struggling families. The couple (Bill & Billie) also runs a communal storage shed where anybody in the community may borrow yard equipment and a community garden where people can donate their time to take care of it. - Ms. Fleury
"It was a perfect example of community - to be a part of a community is to care about it and serve it." - Ms. Fleury
Juniors visited ten organizations across three counties including Gleaners, Spirit of Hope, Christ the King School, O'Hair Park Community Association, Forgotten Harvest Farms, North Oakland Headwater Land Conservancy, Lighthouse of Oakland County, and Cass Community.
"The feeling of accomplishment was the most significant part of the experience. I learned about the efforts people put into society to help people in need." - junior
"I learned about ways I could help the community that had never crossed my mind before." - Junior
Our 9th and 10th graders stayed on campus and spent the day in mixed seminar groups participating in activities related to the ten Learner Profile traits.
"I talked to some people that I didn't know previously and I participated more, which I considered to be taking a risk. I learned a lot more about the IB Learner traits and I had fun doing it." - 10th grader
"I learned that it's okay to get a bit out of your comfort zone." - 9th grader
"For me, [September 11th] is a day of remembrance so it is definitely a time we need to set aside and remember all the lives that were lost but it's also a timethat we can make a positive difference in not only in our community but also another communities." - 12th grader
Fox 2 News highlighted our students and their service on 9/11 as one of their top stories! http://www.fox2detroit.com/news/local-news/local-students-honor-9-11-as-a-day-of-service
Roop Raj of Fox 2 News on Facebook Live: https://tinyurl.com/ycaqkpgu.
"I had time to bond with my classmates. It's like a personal "me" day that is relaxing and also about the community and bonding, since we do it together. The focus is on self improvement, but also being mindful of the consequence of our actions." -10th grader
"Sometimes we may be nervous to talk to new people, but if we step out of our comfort zone, people will be truly nice and willing to be your friend." - 10th grader
"It was an important day in our community because we got to meet new people, and strengthen our community and friendships." - 9th grader
"I experienced the forming of new bonds of friendship and team building games and exercises." - 9th grader
"I really enjoyed the breakfast, that was a fun way to hang out with friends and meet new people. I learned the names of some Sophmores, and the relationships built that day were probably the most important part of that day." - 9th grader
Thank you, PTia, for your generosity.
Our next C-Day is January 25th; stay tuned for more information in the coming months about personal project, career connections & Edcamp!
Credits:
photos by IA students and staff