Portfolio
Every 8th grader will complete a Core Values Portfolio as part of their requirements for graduation. The Core Values Portfolio will consist of reflective essays on the core values along with artifacts to support demonstration of each core value. Students will also be asked to think about their futures and what they envision their lives to be. We will walk students through a series of activities to help them identify college and career paths. All students will be required to complete at least 10 hours of community service and to participate in at least one extracurricular activity. While the 8th grade team will have some time in school dedicated to portfolio work, students must also complete some of the work outside of school.
Portfolio work kicked off on October 29th with the Portfolio Launch Party, where students also celebrated their work on identity.
I Wish...VoiceThread Identity Projects
Eighth graders displayed their I Wish VoiceThread projects at the Portfolio Launch Party on October 29th. Students had to think of a moment in their lives when either they wished they had done something differently or others had done something differently. VoiceThread is an application where images can be combined with recorded voice. Thank you to all the family and community members who came out to talk with 8th graders and hear their stories!
Core Values Awards
The following students received Core Values Awards during our Town Hall on 
October 22nd:
Passion - Nora Ayad and Aaliyah Bridgeman
Pride – Elizabeth Roman
Ownership - Corrie Byrd
Balance - Simon Simpson
Perseverance - Troy Constantine and Antonio Cruz
Congratulations to these students—keep up the good work!
David Walker Scholars
David Walker Scholars is a student mentoring organization from Harvard University. The group aims to instill cultural and historical pride in young boys of color. Members of the group came to meet with 8th grade boys on Tuesday, November 3rd and will provide mentoring twice a week after school. The goal is to build relationships that will reinforce the student’s academic work as well as participate in field trips and activities that extend beyond the classroom. For more information, please contact Ms. Jemeison (
[email protected]).