Opelika Middle School: Young Entrepreneurs Academy and Project Lead the Way

Every now and then teachers have those days where they can see the light bulbs turning on in their students’ heads and connections between “real-life” and school are made.  It is those days that teachers strive for, and it is those days that get teachers through the days where nothing goes as planned.  In my current role as Curriculum Coordinator and Career Technical Director, I am not delivering instruction on a daily basis so I do not get to have those days with students anymore.  However, there are occasions where I get to share in those experiences when teachers have them.  One of those occasions occurred when Ms. Clarinda Jones, Opelika Middle School’s “Young Entrepreneurs Academy” teacher, collaborated with Ms. Melanie Montel, Opelika Middle School’s “Project Lead the Way” teacher, to allow their students the opportunity to mimic a situation that occurs every day throughout our community. 

Ms. Jones' student had been working on his business idea in the YEA class at OMS for many months and was getting ready to present his idea to a panel of investors.  He was given the opportunity to work with a student in the PLTW class who had been learning to design and model in 3D using AutoDesk Inventor.  I watched these two students who had different skill sets discuss the dimensions and shape of the "T-Bone Slider".  The final step in this process came when Mr. Josh Lackey was brought into the situation to teach the students how to take the 3D design and put it into the 3D printer software so it could be printed.  In two class days, I watched two 8th grade students work together like so many of our community members do to design and create a prototype of an idea.  It was truly one of those teaching moments where I couldn't stop smiling. 

We like to say that we are preparing students for their lives after school.  After watching how these teachers collaborated in order to provide their students with an authentic "real world" experience, I could not think of a profession, school system, or community I would rather be working and living in.  I truly believe Opelika is a great place to work, live, and raise a family. 

Video Link

Did You Know?

Opelika City Schools is proud of the many outstanding employees that serve our students each day.  To "educate every child every day", we must have highly qualified, dedicated teachers in every classroom.  While we know that degrees and certifications are not as important as classroom teaching ability, for those of you that do not know our teachers and administrators, these degrees help tell our story.

Did you know that of our teachers and adminstrators:

• 7 have achieved National Board Certification

• 54% have a Master's degree and 10% have Educational Specialist and/or doctorate degrees

• 57% have over ten years of experience

• 25% have over twenty years of experience  

• there are 19 teachers that have 30+ years of experience, and of those, 3 have over 40 years of experience -- Wow!  

• that 15% graduated from Opelika High School

We are blessed to have such a wealth of knowledge teaching "every child every day"!

Community Members Contribute to Students' Education

Over the past few weeks community members have been engaged with Opelika City Schools students to expand their understanding of school and community relationships.  Rusty Melnick, OHS graduate and community businessman participated in two of these events.  His thoughts about his experiences are listed below after a brief description of the events.

Opelika City Schools worked with the Opelika Chamber of Commerce to offer the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA) to our students.  We are currently offering this program through one of the technology classes at Opelika Middle School.  YEA is a national program that teaches young people how to take an idea and develop it into a business.  YEA utilizes community members to teach the process of beginning your own business.   

Opelika High School tenth grade English teachers recently asked Patsy Boyd Parker, Rusty Melnick, Wilbert Payne, and Frances Capps-Palmer, who were OHS students during the desegregation era to form a panel to discuss how segregation and desegregation impacted their lives. This panel discussion was an activity to coincide with their reading of Warriors Don’t Cry.

Rusty's comments:

OMS - When I was asked to speak with the YEA class at the Middle School my first thought was, “how could students this young be interested in a presentation on business insurance.” After about five minutes into my presentation my question was answered, and it was not the answer I was expecting.  (They were interested because of what they had been learning in YEA.)  The students were extremely attentive and respectful of not only me but of their fellow classmates. Their interest prompted them to ask questions during the presentation instead of waiting until we finished. I was absolutely blown away by their questions which were specific to their business exposures and were thought provoking. The students’ attention and participation far exceeded my expectations!

OHS - I was excited when asked to participate on a panel concerning my experience during integration of the Opelika School system. Prior to the first panel session I was not sure what to expect from the students as far as their interest in this subject. The session started with each panel member sharing about a couple of the experiences we had during the beginning of integration in Opelika. The students were attentive during our opening remarks, then the floor was opened up for questions and the students came alive! Questions came from all students, male, female, white and black asking questions that were sincere and looking for honest answers. After the session was over, numerous students approached each panel member to thank them for sharing their experiences and also to ask additional questions. I would definitely say I benefited more than anyone at the session because of what the other panel members had to say and from how the students were respectful and genuinely interested in learning more about the integration process in Opelika - based on the quality of questions they asked!

Thank you Rusty for your involvement and these comments.

Robotics - A Student's Perspective

Opelika High School and Opelika Middle School both have a Robotics Team that recently competed in the War Eagle BEST Robotics Competition sponsored by Auburn University.  For this event, teams receive a challenge.  This year students were challenged to build robots that could transport and assemble parts for windmills.  These teams work for six weeks to construct a robot that will be able to complete the challenge.  Not an easy task.  Below are a student’s thoughts on this process.   

My name is Codey Bracknell, and I’m a sophomore at Opelika High School.  The reason I got involved with the robotics’ team is because I wanted to try something new. I am in the Project Lead the Way engineering class, and one day Mrs. Howell was explaining how robotics worked.  I wanted to try it out and see if it was fun, and I also wanted to meet new people.   The main thing I like about robotics is being able to design and share ideas.  Even if your idea is not so great, it can still be a good idea because it might have a little piece in it that the team can use.

            When we started to design and build the robot, our main focus was on what type of wheel design we needed and what the shape of the claw would be.  Our prototype’s claw couldn’t pick up any of the game objects but the way we had the wheel system setup was perfect. So we kept the wheel design and changed the claw’s shape and how it worked.  We made the claw into a hook that rotated up and down kind of like a dump truck picking up a big trash can.   Our team won the 2^nd place Founder’s Design Award for our robot design.

One challenge that our team had was how we would approach the game field and how many points we could score in 3 minutes. So, the team came up with the strategy of picking up 1 chicken, hitting the permit switch with it, and then getting that chicken out of the way.  We would then move the other chicken out from in front of the bridge and open the bridge crossing gates.  After that we just started picking up windmill objects and taking them to the other side since they were worth 30 points apiece.  I was the first driver at the competition on Saturday, and I followed our strategy.  But when I picked up the chicken and rammed the permit switch, the chicken came off and fell on to the other side of the game area.  After I was finished I got all the other drivers together and told them we needed to go with a different strategy and just pick the chickens up and get them out the way instead of trying to perform tasks with the chickens hanging on the hook.  We went with our new plan and it worked.  We were #4 out of 22 teams in the seeding matches and advanced to the semi-finals (top 8 teams).   We tried to use the same strategy again and it almost worked, but we just didn’t do as well driving and ended up 5^th or 6^th and didn’t advance to the finals.  This year’s robot was a success, because it could consistently do everything we designed it to do.

The things I learned from being on the robotics’ team are that no one is perfect and no one is too smart. Everyone has flaws in life and everyone has their good and bad days. Another thing I learned is that duct tape does not, I repeat does not, fix everything. Being in robotics inspired me to go ahead and keep doing robotics next year because the best thing I like about it is designing and building the robot and seeing if the idea works. Once you do it and it ends up working you get to say “hey, I helped design and build that robot”.  So, the biggest thing I learned is take pride in your work whether you win or not; if it works in your head you’re still number one. I keep saying that no idea is too good and no idea is too bad and don’t be afraid to comment or share ideas that you have because you never know when one of your ideas might help more than you think.

We are proud of the hard work our teachers and students put into this endeavor.  This work is done completely after school and receives no state support (locally funded).  Below is a picture of Axle, the OHS robot.

Think About It

     Once upon a time, gathering information for a report entailed looking the topic up in the World Book Encyclopedia or the Encyclopedia Britannica.  These information sources were known to be true, reliable and up-to-date (if you purchased the yearbook each year).  Today, however, our students "Google" everything from "who won the football game" to "what caused the Spanish American War."  And, many students (and adults) think that "it must be true if I found it on the Internet."
     News flash:  Not everything on the Internet is true!  So, how do we teach students to be critical readers?  How do we teach them to discern fact from fiction?  How do we help them navigate the abundance of information that is literally at their fingertips in order to use the good and true information to solve problems and make good decisions.

     One way that we teach critical reading is to have students identify questions as they are reading. What information is missing?  What question does this bring to mind that was not answered in the text?  Is there a resource to back up what is being said?  Students often use sticky notes to make observations and record questions.  Then, these sticky notes can be a springboard for class discussions, ideas for more research, or small group discussions with other students.  Students will not always be able to have every question answered, but it allows them to make some decisions about how reliable a source is based on what is or is not included.
     This same procedure is used when teaching novels or other fiction materials.  Sticky notes may contain a note such as "this makes me think about a time that...", or "this makes me wonder about..." or "I don't understand what this means..."  In other words, it's not just about reading; it's about thinking.
     
     Another example of how to teach critical reading it to cite text evidence.  As students answer questions about the text they have read, they are asked to find the evidence in the text that supports their answer.  Instead of just trying to remember what happened in the story, students may be asked to find the answer in the text and "cite the text evidence that you found."  Often students use markers to highlight the evidence.  When students form opinions about a character or situation, they are asked to cite text evidence to support their opinion.  Again, it is not about just reading; it is about thinking.

    We want our students to be prepared to handle the bombardment of information that they get on the Internet, news sources, propaganda, and even textbooks.  We want students to be able to make their own informed decisions and to not just believe everything they read.

Project Lead the Way in Opelika Part 2

At Opelika Middle School, I was able to watch students in Ms. Melanie Montel’s Gateway to Technology class build a vehicle made out of paper that rode on air.  You can imagine that if a car is going to ride on air it has to be built to the correct specifications.  So, that is where the lessons began.  Students in the 7^th and 8^th grade learned about measurement and the different ways people have calculated measurements throughout history.  Students then applied the mathematical skills they had been taught since 1^st grade to convert those measurements.  Once students had the refresher on measurement, and were taught about precise measurements using dial calipers, the students were able to apply the information they learned to build their “Skimmer”.   I was able to walk around the room and observe students looking at schematics on their computer and then measuring and drawing the plans on their paper so that they could then cut out the different pieces to prepare for assembly.  For some this came very naturally, for others it was a struggle.  As I helped a few groups think about the assembly, I was constantly referring them to the directions and asking them to tell me what the directions told them to do.  To watch students go back and read a step for the third or fourth time and then see the light bulb come on when they figure it out never gets old.  Then to see the sense of accomplishment on the faces of students when they had finished the construction and saw their skimmer ride on air is why educators come to work every day.  All of the teaching on measurements and building skimmers culminated in a competition to see whose skimmer could ride the farthest.  Some came up short, but some exceeded expectations.  However, that was not the end of the unit.  After the competition, students were given the opportunity to make adjustments to their skimmers and try them again.  Success on this project was not measured only the distance a skimmer traveled, but on the students ability to learn from their mistakes and make their skimmer better.  The second day of the competition, most of the students made adjustments to their skimmers that increased the distance they traveled.  Just like the Kindergarten class at Carver, these students saw their failure as an opportunity to grow and get better.  Again, I can only imagine how this philosophy will positively impact their future education. 

As adults many of us know that failure happens and it means that we need to adjust what we did and try something different.  As parents and teachers, this is not always the case when it comes to our expectations for our students.  We see failure as a thing to be avoided rather than something to grow from.  After watching students at Carver and OMS I find myself thinking a lot about the question Ms. Montel has posted on her door at OMS, “What could you do if you were not afraid to fail?”

A short video of the PLTW activities at Carver and OMS can be found on YouTube by clicking on the link below.

Project Lead the Way in Opelika

Kyle Pinckard

Secondary Curriculum Coordinator

Career and Technical Education Director

Project Lead the Way in Opelika (Part 1)

How would you design a house that the Big Bad Wolf could not blow down?  How far can you make a paper car with no wheels travel across a gym floor?  These questions might not seem like school questions, but questions like these are challenging our students to think critically about a problem and work to solve it. 

At Carver Primary school, Ms. Rachel Loftin’s Kindergarten class read different versions of the “Three Little Pigs”.  After reading these stories, they were challenged to design houses that the Big Bad Wolf would not be able to blow down using only what the pigs used; twigs (toothpicks and Play-Doh), sticks (Popsicle sticks and masking tape), or bricks (sponges and glue).  Once each group got their materials, they had to brainstorm and draw out what their house would look like.  Then the fun began.  These 4 and 5 year old students were allowed to build a house using whatever method they wanted with the materials they were provided.  For almost 60 minutes these kindergarten students were engrossed with building a house.  I was amazed to watch these students try multiple ways of using their materials until they found a way that worked for them.  As I walked around and asked questions to groups, I found out that every group had a plan and knew what they wanted to do.  I will admit that it was hard for me to not jump in and tell the students the best way, but to allow them to explore and fail.  Yes, fail.  When they built something and it fell down, they did not give up.  They tried it again.  At the end of the class, students got to test their houses to see if Ms. Loftin could blow them down using a hairdryer.  To my surprise, many of them withstood the test.  One group that had worked extremely hard on their house made out of sponges came to test it against the hairdryer.  I was sure that this house would stand up to the test because this group had been pre-testing it by blowing on it every time they added another sponge.  Sadly, that was not the case and a side of their house fell down as the hairdryer blew on it.  I was sure the two students would be devastated.  Instead, I overheard one of them say, “That’s okay.  Let’s go make it stronger.”  These students saw failure as an opportunity to grow and not as a reason to give up.  I can only imagine how this philosophy will positively impact the future of their education.

Part 2 of “PLTW in Opelika” will be posted soon.

Kyle Pinckard

Secondary Curriculum Coordinator

Career and Technical Education Director

If you have never been to an Opelika High Theatre Society production, you have missed a real treat!  The first performance of this season is "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown", and it opens September 11 at 7:00 p.m. in the Opelika Center for the Performing Arts.  Other performance dates are Sept. 13 at 7:00 p.m., Sept. 14 at 3:00 p.m., and September 16, 17 and 18 all at 7:00 p.m.  It is always amazing to watch high school students perform at such a professional level.  Admission is $10 for adults and $7 for students, and be assured that you have paid a lot more for a lot less entertainment!

Theatre (which includes technical aspects as well as set production) is only one of the many art education offerings at the high school.  With two visual art teachers, two choral/showchoir teachers, two band directors, one video production/multi-media teacher, and one theatre teacher, there are many options for students to pursue.

Arts education begins far earlier.  While many systems have had to cut arts education programs, Opelika continues to support and fund these programs from high school all the way down to Pre-K.  Our system employs full time art and music teachers for our elementary schools which allows all elementary students to receive art and music instruction each week.  This continues into middle school where students have the opportunity to participate in band, visual arts and choir or showchoir.

Opelika City Schools have always been dedicated to supporting the arts and providing our students with experiences in the arts that will enrich and enhance their education.  Much of this would not be possible without the support we receive from the City of Opelika.  We are thankful to be a part of a community that values the arts and works hard to support arts programs.  We are proud to partner with the Arts Association of East Alabama in the Kennedy Center Partners in Education program.  This partnership began in 1996 is one of only three in the state of Alabama.

Make plans this year to attend performances by the Opelika High Theatre Society, the high school and middle school showchoirs and bands.  Your life will be enriched, and you will be glad you attended!

Dr. Bice's message to educators this year has been "Imagine".  In the Opelika City Schools we have been in the "imagine" mode of thinking for quite some time.  We have imagined being able to offer our students more career technical opportunities.  We have imagined students participating in engineering activites as early as Kindergarten.  We have imagined a curriculum that emphasized more critical thinking, problem solving and real life applications.  Our "imagine" thoughts have produced reality.  This year we have added additional Health Science Occupation courses and additional Technology Information courses in our Career and Technical Education department.  We have also added Project Lead the Way Launch curriculum at Carver Primary School where kindergarten students are engaged in hands on engineering activities.  Project Lead the Way Launch has also been added at Morris Avenue Intermediate where students experience application of aerodynamics and robotics.  And, implementing the Alabama College and Career Ready Standards in Math and English Language Arts has increased the teaching of critical thinking skills and problem solving.  It is great to be a part of the Opelika City Schools!

What a great start to school we have had!  Walking into classrooms is such a great experience. From Kindergarten to 12th grade, we have students learning engineering concepts, testing hypotheses, creating solutions to real life problems, and acquiring a depth of knowledge necessary to compete in the ever changing job market.  While the increased rigor is sometimes frustrating to parents, our students are rising to the level of expectation and accomplishing tasks that continue to amaze some of our teachers!  How exciting!
Great things are happening in the Opelika City Schools.