2022-2023 Awards
AMD
Coffee and Breakfast Cart
This project provides students in self-contained classrooms with regular opportunities to interact with members of the school community and build on their social communication and functional vocational skills via the management and delivery of taking coffee and breakfast orders and delivering the items three mornings each week. Students would be assigned roles to carry out different responsibilities, such as making coffee, preparing breakfast foods, putting a menu together, handling money, delivering orders, etc. Students will take orders from staff members and deliver orders to the classrooms while practicing conversational skills. The students IEP goals will be addressed while participating in this activity in a functional way.
Ossining High School
Books Reflecting Diversity
The objective of this project is to invite high school students to hear about books the reflect experiences which matter to them. The aim is for these specifically selected, culturally diverse books provided by the library, will provide inspiration by representing stories and authors from diverse marginalized backgrounds which include Hispanic heritage, Black American culture, Muslim culture and incarcerated youth via poetry (The Untold Story of the Real Me). The library staff will invite ELA classes, English Language Learners and Social Studies classes to participate in the project. The students will read the books, write about how they will relate to their experiences and discuss the issues related to diversity and equity.
Ossining High School
Veteran Student Story Exchange
Students will use their photography and writing skills to help/serve others while collaborating with a group of Veteran writers called “After WORDS”. Students worked with them in 2018 and the 2022-23 project, the students will focus on creating artwork based on and inspired by each of the veterans’ written stories. This next stage of the project allows the students to create the art and then create books using this artwork to illustrate the stories they will write in collaboration with the veterans who share their stories in a day-long visit with the students.
****
Veteran/Student Story Exchange 2023 (Book download)
AMD
Francophone Culture
The project aims to expose the French students in 7th and 8th grades to Francophone culture through both learning about traditional French crêpes and also cooking and eating this very traditional French food. It will develop multiple literacies – directly supporting one of the goals of the districts long-range plan. In addition to the cultural learning – students will use the language to learn about the history of crêpes and to read and follow recipes in French. In addition to language skills students will develop mathematical literacy (in French), by scaling up a recipe to feed the larger group and multicultural literacy by comparing and contrasting their own practices with those of the Francophone world. Ms. Diallo will incorporate it into her year-long curriculum and will specialize the activity for 7th grade with expanded study of the French national holiday Le Chandeleur during the experience in 8th grade. The funds will be used to purchase 6 crêpes makers, related tools and food supplies.
Ossining High School
Sustainable Jewelry
This project will take place throughout Jewelry 1 and 2 classes at Ossining High School. During the school year students will implement a recycling program for metal used in the studio to maximize the application of resources. Students will gain knowledge in the value of efficient use of resources by melting down and reusing metal scraps. To complement the learning about recycled materials, students will melt scraps of metal and run them through the rolling mill. By doing so students will create usable metal sheets or wire. A rolling mill is an invaluable tool for every studio. They can be used to reduce the thickness of ingots and sheets, or to reduce the dimension of wire. As a bonus they can also add decorative textures to sheets of metal. Students will learn how to melt scraps of metal using a jeweler’s torch and recycle it back to its original state. This will be done by running it through the rolling mill, which will allow students to utilize it in future projects.
Ossining High School
Screen Press Entrepreneurial Practices
This grant provides students with the equipment needed to print designs they create and to develop foundations in teamwork, collaboration and entrepreneurship through the projects which can be developed involving the use of the printer. Students can use the Screen Press printer to create logos for clothing and commercial arts which could be implemented for advertising and fundraising projects – for example with school clubs and for collaborative projects with organizations outside the classroom. As part of the work related to using the Screen Press printers – students will tie it into the study of fashion, design, patterns, swatches, typography and layout, color theory and positive/negative space relationships.
Pictured left: One of the students holding the 2023 Veteran/Student Story Exchange published book.
The video below was completed after the program and offers a glimpse into the project's progression, showcasing the collaboration between students and veterans.