Tomorrow night, an idea comes to its complete fruition. It was an idea started by two of us but has morphed into a collective and communal experience. Tomorrow night, we’re putting on a TED-style conference showcasing the work of our seniors, including eight seniors who will give individual TED Talks, and two seniors who will MC and run the whole shebang― to an audience of about 350 of their peers and community members. It’s kind of ridiculous to think about this all culminating― this idea that two classroom teachers had after being inspired by other classroom teachers. Two years ago, Shannon Alberts and I stumbled into an unconference (EdCamp San Diego), and, consequently, stumbled upon this idea. We knew, deep in our bones, that our students were special. We knew that they were capable of learning and growing far beyond the confinements of a traditional classroom experience. We knew that we were ready to shift our tried and true practices for something outside of the comfortable box. It’s been a challenging journey to take this thing from a scrolling lists of notes on a google doc to something 200+ students put into action. Any time you put your heart and soul into something, you open yourself up to setbacks and heart breaks. But, at the very same time, when you choose to put your heart and soul into something, you open yourself up to the opportunity to learn, grow, and experience in ways you never thought possible. We’ve felt them all as well, and we are so grateful. This idea, the Genius Project, culminating in a TED-style conference, was an idea Shannon and I had back when my two year old was still in the womb, and Danny, Shannon’s 1.5 year old, was still just a dream. Two years and two kids later, this idea is no longer our own, but our community’s. This thing, the Genius Project, belongs to the Sage Creek Leadership Team. They listened to our idea, asked follow-up questions, and set us off to test it out. This ideas belongs to the English Department, all of whom have supported this idea and its potential from the get-go, spending countless hours dreaming and researching and trying out and failing and picking themselves up and trying again. This idea belongs to the Sage Creek Staff as a whole. They encouraged students, covered classes, listened to pitches, and championed us when we were feeling in over-our-heads. This idea also belongs to the parents who jumped in as soon as we asked and helped us make this big idea come to life. I haven’t put on an event like this since my wedding nine years ago, but thanks to the meticulous, creative, and passionate parents in our community, we’re able to pull this off. Eddie, Liz, and Shannon McAndrews― we would be lost with you. And, more than anything, this project belongs to our students, and any part of this Genius Project thing that is a success is because of our students. They are the reason we do this, the reason we’ll keep fixing and revising to make it better. We knew they were special, but they have shattered any ceiling of expectation we had for them. Their passion and their willingness to be brave and vulnerable in sharing their story inspires me more than I can articulate. I am feeling the weight of anticipation. There will, undoubtedly, be about 15 things that go not as we had planned, but I also know and trust that for everything that goes slightly awry, there will be about 15 things that totally surprise me and make me tear up with pride. That last few months of this journal have been a bustling flurry of google docs and email exchanges, brainstorming meetings, and rehearsals. This final stretch has felt full-- brimming with anticipation of this date, May 18th, and what we all hoped and believed it could hold. At the heart of what I’m anticipating is this: We’ll shove open the doors of our campus so that the rest of the world can see the vibrant, unique, gifted, and passionate almost-adults who embody the spirit of Sage Creek. They are pioneers, and they are risk-takers. They are innovators, and they are creators. And, more than anything else, they are driven by their heart. After this event and all that led up to it, I know that without a shadow of a doubt, our community will see what is so true and so special about us: our students. I can’t wait. - Mrs. Myers and the best team a girl could ask for
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AuthorHi! I'm Corrie Myers, English Department Chair at Sage Creek High School. The purpose of this blog is to share our story. We've learned a lot along the way and know that writing helps cement the learning experience for us. We never want to stop learning and growing, so this is a step in that direction. Thank you for reading! Archives
September 2017
CategoriesSage Creek High School is a comprehensive high school in Carlsbad, CA.
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