Eighth Grade Project Presentation
By Nicole Javvaji
This year we have 3 students in eighth grade. All year the students have been working on their “eighth grade project” which is an independent study of something that interests them and they want to learn more about. At the age of fourteen, our students are becoming individuals and figuring out how they fit into society, and what they can contribute. The teacher checks in with them along the process, and pairs them with a mentor who is an expert in their field of interest.
At first glance, the topics couldn’t be more different. Eleanor Ecklund chose to focus on writing fiction. Sammy Moscovitch chose to learn more about the Holocaust and the lives affected. Harini Natarajan wanted to learn more about plastic recycling.
Eleanor Ecklund
Eleanor shared that she has not always wanted to be a writer, in fact she hated writing when she was younger. She discovered the joy in it through learning the mythologies of different cultures. Eleanor started writing by dreaming up characters, and dropping them into the fictional world of her favorite manga series. She enjoyed thinking about what the characters would do when interacting within a universe full of her favorite characters, but after a while she found that had its limits. If she could create her own world, it would open up more possibilities. She was paired with a mentor, Jim May, who is an Emmy-Award winning storyteller, teacher and author. https://jimmaystoryteller.com
Mr. May has gotten to know Eleanor and her family over the years, through his work with our school. This level of comfort really helped the mentor meetings. Mr. May supported and encouraged Eleanor as she built characters, a world for them to live in, and a creation myth to explain how their world came to be. She even created illustrations to help bring her story to life. Eleanor’s plan is to publish this work when it is complete, and we would love to have her return for a book signing event at school.
Sammy Moscovitch
Sammy Moscovitch chose her topic because she wants people to be aware of what happened during the Holocaust and inform people about what they can do to prevent it from ever happening again.
Sammy shared a summary of events leading up to the first and second world wars. She interviewed Holocaust survivors and shared their stories.
Sammy closed her report with a list of suggestions that kids can do to make a difference, like speaking up when you see that someone is treated unfairly because remaining silent and staying out of it is a choice.
Sammy’s presentation highlighted the need for open-minded thinking and inclusivity.
Harini Natarajan
Our final presenter was Harini Natarajan, who spoke about plastics in our waterways. She was paired with our resident environmental expert Mrs. Griffith, who also connected Harini with an employee of a recycling center.
Harini shared astounding facts about the amount of plastic in the water and the devastating, permanent effects it has on humans, animals and our future generations.
As a result of her research, she has made changes at home with her family. She is now a member of the McHenry County Environmental Defenders.
After her presentation, our admin team invited her to give us some honest feedback about our school’s environmentally-friendly practices. Compared to other schools, she says we are doing very well but there are small adjustments we can make to do even better. We are willing to try!
Our students are the future, and they have a fire inside them that burns really bright. They are growing into individuals, and they have gifts to share with the world.
Creating worlds, changing the world, and saving the world – our eighth graders have lifted their gaze and they are ready to make their mark.
