Better World Day
Claim: GCCS students continue to create well-crafted, authentic projects and products in service of the community.
Contributing to a Better World
GCCS students contribute to a better world, putting their learning to use as active citizens, working for social justice, environmental stewardship, and healthy, equitable communities. They put learning to use to improve communities, through citizenship, service, and advocacy.
Better World Day 2019 - Wings of Service
"Connect students to the world beyond school through meaningful fieldwork, expert collaborators, research, and service learning."
Third-graders led the way during a school-wide day of service at Wild Wings, a local raptor conservation and education center located in Mendon Ponds Park. As part of their Spring 2019 expedition around birds, the students learned about the peril to our feathered friends as habitats for birds in our area disappear, from forests to meadows to wetlands. Students also learned about the unique setting of Wild Wings, their mission, and how they inform the public about the needs of raptors as well as songbirds through their aviaries and education programs.
To thank Wild Wings and give back for all that they have shared with the students, the third-grade class organized a supply drive for Wild Wings and invited the whole school to participate in a beautification project at their location. Additionally, students created nest boxes to be installed in areas of need so birds will have a safe place to raise their young. Students also designed and wrote informational brochures to tell the story of the injured birds at the aviaries.
Better World Day 2018 - #ROCBelievers
"Design tasks that ask students to analyze, evaluate, and create as part of their work."
In 2018, sixth-graders were immersed in a year-long exploration of what it means to be a citizen of Rochester while critically examining the city's renewal efforts, asking, "Whose renaissance is it?" They explored individual and group identity, the impact of systemic racism, and analyzed the disparities across neighborhoods. Teaming up with local artist Shawn Dunwoody, the sixth-grade class became the #ROCBelievers and went into the Rochester's four quadrants and met with the people who lived, worked, and went to school there and collaborated with them to create colorful murals that shared a message of hope and unity for the entire city. The video below showcases the process the students participated in with Shawn and the development of their high-quality murals.