What is YES Program?
By: Niavh Gibney
The GMUHS YES program is offered during the final two weeks of the academic school year and gives students the ability to learn skills outside of the classroom. It grants students time to complete proficiencies from the year, as well as fix proficiencies from previous years. The program is required of all students in 7th to 11th grade, while seniors take this time to prepare for graduation as well as life after high school. The YES program vision statement states that “the GMUHS YES program is an opportunity to provide experiential learning for students to grow in areas of creativity, collaboration, self-direction, and communication. GMUHS YES encourages all stakeholders toward responsible risk-taking, sharing passions, critical thinking, empathy, adaptability, and seeking new learning while increasing community engagement and improving school culture through relationship building.”
What Activities Are Being Offered This Year?
Ms. Bushey is a math teacher at GMUHS and is leading this year's program. This will be her third year offering quilting as an activity in the YES program. No experience is required when signing up for this activity, as it aims to coach students through the quilting process. Students start by selecting fabrics and a pattern for their quilt. They learn to arrange pieces and then how to operate the machine itself. By the end of the two weeks, each student will walk away with a beautiful quilt as well as new knowledge on how to sew. Students put skills to use such as mathematical knowledge, organization, following detailed instructions, and problem-solving in a course that they may never have the opportunity to experience again. Many local members of the sewing community volunteer to teach students during this time. Numerous local quilting clubs and independent crafters share their knowledge, excess fabric, and supplies as a show of support. By the end of the two weeks, students, as well as local community members, can come to our exhibition day at GMUHS and see the students' quilts for themselves.
Mrs. Brennan, a social studies and culinary teacher, and Mr. Malaby, a science teacher at the school, will both be leading a course on cooking and healthy eating. The course will consist of half-day cooking classes that will allow students to explore other interests when they’re not in the kitchen. Students will be taught how to identify and incorporate different nutritional aspects into their food so they can determine whether they’re making the right choices for their bodies. “All kids need to know how to cook,” says Brennan, who has offered classes in food and culture for many years. Students will end their day with a delicious meal and new knowledge on how to incorporate healthy options into their diet. Brennan does believe that teachers need more support in order to make the program fun for all. This is a new system for a lot of teachers and it can be hard to come up with, and fund programs that students want to participate in. Overall, Brennan enjoys this program and wishes for everyone, students and staff, to have a fun time learning new useful skills.
Mrs. Filskov is the school's French teacher. Last year, she took high school students on an eight-day trip to France and England for her YES program. This year, she will be taking eight students to volunteer at the Springfield Humane Society to care for the animals. The humane society rescues, cares for, and places pets in homes, and will allow students to get an understanding of the effort that goes into caring for these animals. The program will also teach students how to take care of and manage their own pets. Students will help with feeding and cleaning up after the animals, while also giving them some love. This is a great opportunity for students to get personally involved with their local community and help these animals find a loving home. Towards the end of the program, students will put together a PLP – personal learning plan – entry that will showcase their experience and everything they have learned.