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Editor’s note: this news announcement was provided by the Pelham School District. 

Diving into topics such as animal cruelty, gender equality, pollution, and gun violence, eighth grade students at Pelham Middle School recently concluded months of research and hard work by presenting their International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme Community Projects this spring.

Working either individually or in small groups, all eighth graders participate in this service-learning project in which they research a topic of importance to them and work within the community to raise awareness and make a difference regarding that issue. At the conclusion of the project, students present their work to peers and teachers over several days.

“To me, this is where all of the elements of the Middle Years Programme come together,” said Sean Llewellyn, Pelham’s Supervisor of International Baccalaureate. “Students get the chance to apply what they’ve learned in real life and use it to make the world a better place. It’s inspiring to see how motivated students can be when they get the chance to work in an area they are passionate about in a true hands-on way.”

Other examples of student projects included creating a community mural to call attention to environmental issues, holding a drive to collect sporting goods for young athletes in need, volunteering in soup kitchens and animal shelters, collecting used crayons to be turned into new crayons for children in hospitals, and raising money and awareness for a wide variety of important causes. Throughout the project, the students were led by their teachers Sara Pinsker, Bill Chimento, Laurie Cusick and Lauren Carcaterra.

The Community Project is a key component of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme, which is being implemented in Pelham in grades 6-10. The project augments students’ learning and supports the International Baccaulareate’s central mission to help students become inquiring, caring, and responsible members of their communities who strive to make the world a better place.