RIVER SPEAKS

Metro’s theme for this school year is “sustainability” – and every Advisory will do a service learning project connected to that theme. They are encouraged to select their own topic based on that theme – anything from their own sustainability as a student, sustainability of our school, our community, our city, country, or planet. They will use this topic to create and execute their service learning projects together as an Advisory and individually through their required service learning volunteer hours.

To get the ideas going, another bonding experience occurred the first week of school.  The Advisories headed off to a field study at Camp Lazarus in Delaware, Ohio to spend a few days studying the ecological conditions of the park. The primary goal of the field study was to introduce the incoming students to the level of work and types of content that Metro students encounter daily as well as develop group communication and team-building skills among all of the students. It was designed so that each Advisory worked as a large team in which they were responsible for breaking down into smaller groups to accomplish their overall project.

Each Advisory was assigned a section of Camp Lazarus and instructed to observe and analyze it in terms of cultural landscape, plants and animals, water quality and geology. This involved drawing and mapping any artifacts they found on the site, collecting plant samples, drawing and identifying animal species, collecting water samples and conducting a water quality analysis, and identifying the geology of the area and how it is related to the other factors. The Advisories were then charged with the task of putting it all together and presenting their group’s work to the rest of the teams to provide an overall picture of the site for everyone.

There they bunked in rustic cabins and had some time to relax, play sports, and perform skits for a bit of fun as they got to know one another and their advisors. After a few days sloshing through creeks and standing in line for showers, they were ready to come back to Columbus and start thinking about their academic courses. Many new friendships were formed that will last a long time.

Ms. Swenson’s Advisory