Community Studio - Engaging Community and School

http://www.communitystudio.xyz/

There is an overwhelming passion in regards to education that has lived in me since I was a young boy running around the campus of Nebraska Christian College in Norfolk, NE. This college has since moved to Papillion, NE, and with it the many memories that shaped who I am today. I will never forget this small community of people who helped raise me into understanding the importance and significance of a school as family.

Fast forward to 2017, and I am currently in my 9th year in education. I serve as PK-12th grade principal at Lyons-Decatur Northeast, a school of approximately 276 students grades PK-12th. Our communities of Lyons and Decatur are typical of rural communities, seeking to revitalize our towns. However, our communities are also quite unique in that we are seeking to attract people through our some innovative features that we are so proud including a storefront theater that has already won a national award (see this link for more info http://www.cfra.org/news/160617/lyons-storefront-theater-honored-national-award, a new swimming pool that attracts people from several towns and communities, a Veteran's Memorial in downtown Lyons, the Missouri River and two restaurants (POP-n-DOC's & Green Lantern) with a third coming soon in Decatur, and a local arts and culture group of people who work tirelessly to offer opportunities to all ages of people. (I did not name everything, so my apologies in advance to those I left off this list.)

This is a special place, and yet, there is something that makes this place really standout, and it is the way in which the school engages the community. Our people and especially our teachers have taken it upon themselves (Thank you especially to Mrs. Sharp, Mrs. Mace, and Mrs. Wakeley!!!) to offer a myriad of opportunities for our students to be involved in their communities. It has become a tradition for our students to do community service in Decatur and Lyons every year. We continue to set new records for the amount of goods we raise for our local food bank called Hearts & Hands. We do a program called Empower Your Genius that partners ALL of our students grades PK-12th grade to engage in activities together in a mentoring-style manner, so that our older students learn how to be leaders through a variety of activities once per month. We raised nearly $12,000 to help get the Veteran's Memorial project completed (discussed earlier) through our Empower Your Genius program and the tireless work of our special teachers. Did I mention that this was a special place? :)

I also have the tremendous opportunity to teach government to our seniors. This is where Community Studio comes into the picture. This project started four years ago following a technology conference that inspired me to offer opportunities that extended learning from the classroom to the community. Over the summer, these ideas inspired research into Google's 20% Time project where employees use 20% of their time to be innovative and creative. We ran with the idea, and thanks in large part to Jamie Horter, a local artist and independent contractor with the local newspaper in town, we created what is now known as Community Studio that every senior in our school takes part. The requirements are simple: produce a product or achieve a goal that benefits the community. However, the process is tedious, and we continue to find ways to improve how we work with students.

Anyway, our project has evolved and seniors now also participate in a mini-project called Senior Spotlight that helps students prepare for the larger project of Community Studio. Students interview a senior citizen of their choice from Lyons or Decatur. They also must take several photos of the senior citizen, and they produce a professional quality portrait and interview that is displayed downtown Lyons and at the Sears Center in Decatur. Each student presents their project in both communities in a gallery-walk style that draws nearly 60-75 people the past 2 years.

While I am still learning how to be a better community person, it has been an honor and a pleasure to work with the people of Lyons and Decatur communities. These people will do ANYTHING to support their kids. And...the kids will do anything to help their communities. Please check out our class website http://www.communitystudio.xyz/ to read and see the amazing things our students have done for their towns. And...if you can make it, we will be doing our annual presentation of projects on Friday, April 28, just in time for the seniors to leave our doors and make an impact on the world around them in whatever capacity they are so called. I am so thankful for my Lyons-Decatur family who continues to teach me more of what it is to be engaged in community! 

Strengths Finding GREATER than Career Interest

I wanted to be a city manager as a junior in high school. In fact, my high school sweetheart and mother of our two beautiful girls would say the reason she was attracted to me was because I was not going to be an educator. Maybe I should have chosen a career as a professional kicker because I completely outkicked my coverage.

Get to the point Mr. Lahm, and I can already say that the point has been made to the audience. Had I chosen a career path rather than focusing on my strengths, I do not know where I would be with my life. Had I wanted to be a professional kicker (career), I would not be able to support my beautiful family because I would not have a job.

Strengths finding is greater than career interest because who we are is more important than what we do. More to come later on this topic, but something to think about as our nation pursues this idea of career and college ready.

Your Personal Blog

Every person has a story, and every story is significant (in some way) for someone around the world. In addition, so many times (and I am the most guilty) we get so caught up in our own lives and our own world that we forget to try to understand other people, places, and situations in the world. I don't know about you, but I get the most satisfaction in my life when I am able to help someone else out OR when I am able to conduct a conversation with someone from another place in the world or the United States because I paid attention to the news.

Each of you will be responsible for maintaining a blog. I really want this to become something that you do regularly as it is so important for people to understand what is going on in your life as well as how you think about the world based on what you learn about it on a daily basis. Again, we have more information available to us now than any other time in the HISTORY OF THE WORLD!

Your blog assignment is simple: 1) share your life and 2) share what you are learning about the world (an emphasis on government). You are creating a footprint on the internet that shares what is going on in your life as it compares to the world around you. To get started, begin by looking at news stories from around the nation and around the world. Let this fuel your thoughts and ideas. Share how you feel about our troops in the Middle East based on the facts of different articles you find on Google +, feedly.com, and/or other RSS feeds and news sources.

Share as much and as little as you want about yourself. Be creative, clever, or black-and-white. THE ONLY THING YOU NEED TO REMEMBER IS TO BE SENSITIVE ON ISSUES THAT ARE SENSITIVE. Be polite and kind and BE INTELLIGENT when you write.

Requirements for all 5 points:

1) At least 5 paragraphs (5-8 sentences each)
2) 2 linked internet sites (Linked means people can click on the sites because they are hyperlinked)
3) Read and respond to at least 2 classmates.

Begin to think about your views, opinions, and beliefs while considering how you fit in this world of 7 billion people. EVERYONE is essential in making this world "go" from construction workers, to fast food, to doctors and engineers. How you are involved and informed might be the CHANGE our world needs.

A changing world

School is back, and I am again really excited for another year. This is my 24th year (in a row) of being involved in school as either a student or an educator, and I can honestly say that I am more excited each year to get back to school. Some might call me crazy. Students might say "that's what you're supposed to say." I say "technology is the reason I get so excited for school."

Our school has decided to be a Google School which basically means that all students and staff will be set up with a Gmail account in our Lyons-Decatur domain (simply put: all people in school will have a similar email address so it is easier to use Google). I highly recommend all parents, students, and person who is breathing to get acquainted with Google Documents (Google Drive is the app to get to ALL the Google Documents). This product is FREE, and it is transforming the way we are able to do anything anymore. Students can work on the same spreadsheet, document, etc. with other students at the SAME time. (We call it collaboration to make us sound smarter).

I am by no means an expert in this technology stuff. In fact, I believe that the reason technology is exploding is because there is no "ONE" answer. It constantly changes, and it requires us to research and explore new ways and methods of doing things. When it seems like sometimes our lives are on repeat every 24 hours, technology changes how we do life. This is not always the best thing, but I no that I need challenges daily to keep my mind sharp. I realize that technology can also be bad, and that is why in my classroom we try to include social (group) activities along with technology (individual) activities. My one piece of advice: think of technology like the Cornhuskers. It may not always be the best, but it is what we do and it is who we are, and we will be Husker fans for life!

Midsummer's Memory

I was heading through the alley on my way to park my car in my detached garage that I wish was attached to my home. In fact, I was sharing some not so kind words with my mind as I was nearing home. All of a sudden 3 kids came whooping and hollering out in the alley with N.E.R.F. guns and screams that sounded as if someone had been seriously injured. I instantly shared some more unkind words in my mind, and then it was as if my mind said "enough, Derek...remember being a kid."

I pulled into the garage so as to not look like some creepy dude just watching kids play (though I was just a creepy guy now in the garage watching these kids through my rearview mirror). I immediately began to remember my days as a kid in the summer. Maybe others can relate to what I am about to share. Here are some simple words and phrases to kickstart your mind: 1-on-1 baseball, kick the can, bicycle tag, tattletelling, fort building, pick-up basketball, candy stix (candy cigarettes for us older folk), swimming pool, neighborhood hide-and-go seek, park fights, pickle, and the list goes on. Notice none of my memories included television or video games.

Becoming an adult sometimes changes our perspective. We have so much work to do or we are so tired from a long work day. Silliness and playfulness are kid's things not how an adult behaves :). It is too hot to be outside. I'm getting too old for that type of stuff. I hope that when I am 65 (the Lord willing) that I will still be creating and crawling through forts. I am beginning to have the urge to want my own kids so I can go to the pool without being that "creepy" guy I spoke of earlier. Let's not forget to take time to be "kids" on a daily basis. I know I want to be forever young, and hopefully, no one will have to tell on me for saying things that I shouldn't say when kids are just being kids. :)

Blog Assignment Rubric

Every person has a story, and every story is significant (in some way) for someone around the world. In addition, so many times (and I am the most guilty) we get so caught up in our own lives and our own world that we forget to try to understand other people, places, and situations in the world. I don't know about you, but I get the most satisfaction in my life when I am able to help someone else out OR when I am able to conduct a conversation with someone from another place in the world or the United States because I paid attention to the news.

Each of you will be responsible for maintaining a blog. I really want this to become something that you do regularly as it is so important for people to understand what is going on in your life as well as how you think about the world based on what you learn about it on a daily basis. Again, we have more information available to us now than any other time in the HISTORY OF THE WORLD!

Your blog assignment is simple: 1) share your life and 2) share what you are learning about the world (an emphasis on government). You are creating a footprint on the internet that shares what is going on in your life as it compares to the world around you. To get started, begin by looking at news stories from around the nation and around the world. Let this fuel your thoughts and ideas. Share how you feel about our troops in the Middle East based on the facts of different articles you find on Google +, feedly.com, and/or other RSS feeds and news sources.

Share as much and as little as you want about yourself. Be creative, clever, or black-and-white. THE ONLY THING YOU NEED TO REMEMBER IS TO BE SENSITIVE ON ISSUES THAT ARE SENSITIVE. Be polite and kind and BE INTELLIGENT when you write.

Requirements for all 5 points:

1) At least 5 paragraphs (5-8 sentences each)
2) 2 linked internet sites (Linked means people can click on the sites because they are hyperlinked)
3) Read and respond to classmates and peers.

Begin to think about your views, opinions, and beliefs while considering how you fit in this world of 7 billion people. EVERYONE is essential in making this world "go" from construction workers, to fast food, to doctors and engineers. How you are involved and informed might be the CHANGE our world needs.