Last Session of 2008 After School Program

After reviewing the results of our acid rain experiment, we had a discussion about whether or not schools should be closed for the Inauguration. Students were divided -- most had not realized the day would have to be made up at the end of the year. Some felt that the inauguration of Barack Obama as the forty-fourth president was an event of such historical significance that schools should close; others that since he had not done anything yet, other than get elected, and since one never knows about a president's term without the luxury of hindsight, schools should not be closed. We completed the 2008 after school program by celebrating the perfect attendance of nearly 25% of students in the FSK-Calvert Partnership.

8th Graders Visit Area High Schools

On Friday, December 5th, 2008, Ms. Karpay of Supporting Public Schools of Choice, escorted most of the 8th graders on visits to three transformation or innovation high schools in which they'd expressed interest after some research on the web. Innovation high schools are smaller high schools with particular program emphasis and usually special community partnerships. Transformation schools are similar, but go from 6th through 12th grade.
The first stop was New Era Academy, a college preparatory innovation school. They change classes to jazz instead of bells; and one of the school sports is crew! In one of the pictures Ms. Dorsey, school counselor addresses a group led by senior, Cindy. In the other, Mr. Johnston, math teacher, explains the academic trophies which are given out quarterly. (He was a little disappointed that only one boy earned a trophy.) The largest class at New Era is 25, the average class size is 15, and one Advanced Placement class had only seven students.
Students then went on to Baltimore Freedom Academy, which just became a 6-12 school transformation school, and focuses on social justice curriculum. The final stop was, Baltimore Talent Development High School, an innovation school which partners with Johns Hopkins University.

School Year Program Starts

The school year program began the third week in September. While we continue to work with Mr. Basmajian and Ms. Marlowe, we have three new after school teachers. We do math with Mr. Fisher and Mr. Older, and language arts with Ms. Welsh and Mr. Fisher. We are just finishing reading and acting out Monster by Walter Dean Myers. The story is told in film script form and set largely in a court room. It is particularly real to the 8th graders because of the visit they made last summer to Judge Berger's court last summer.

On October 25th some students, including returning 9th graders Bethany Dillard and LaShandalese Johnson, went to the Newseum in Washington, D.C. It is an interactive museum dedicated to the 1st Amendment of the Constitution. We went to a 4D movie, saw a display of Pulitzer Prize winning photos as well as pieces of the Berlin Wall and the World Trade Center. Some of us got to be newscasters, too. One of the highlights of our visit was watching KAL, an editorial cartoonist, draw quick caricatures of political figures. Many of us got to take his original art home. Afterwards we took a bus tour of D.C.

KIVA Loans

The first repayment of one of our loans has been made! Naimdjon Domulodjanov, the Tajik Mobile Phone Entrepreneur, has repaid 8.33% of the loan we made less than two months ago.

Email Update on KIVA Loan

Dear FSK MGP Calvert,

This is an update on your loan to SOPE NABY Group in Senegal. Thank youfor your loan. It has been disbursed to the SOPE NABY group, consistingof Oumou Khaïry Ka, Ndèye Gadiaga by UIMCEC, a partner of ChristianChildren's Fund in Senegal. We are excited to watch this business grow.Over the next 12 months, UIMCEC, a partner of Christian Children's Fundwill be collecting repayments from this entrepreneur and postingprogress updates on the Kiva website.

8th Grade International Microfinanciers

This year's NFTE class decided to use some of the profits of The Key Store to contribute to the entrepreneurial efforts of others. Microfinanciers make small loans to people who are seeking a loan amount "too small" for banks. KIVA is an international organization that serves as a clearing house for international loans. After research, presentations and a vote, the group initially elected to finance Srey, a Cambodian fisherwoman; however, she was funded the same day. Two other entrepreneurial businesses have been loaned $100.00 each.

Meet Naimdjon Domulodjanov from Tajikistan. Although only 21, he's been in the cell phone business for two years. In countries without a solid infrastructure there are far more cell phones than land-lines. Naimdjon seeks to expand his business because he hopes to marry soon. Naimdjon intends to repay the loan within a year.

Meet Ndèye GADIAGA and Omou Khairy KA from the democratic country of Senegal on the west coast of Africa. Most people in their country live well below the poverty line, so used clothing is how people can afford to dress well. Ndeye and Omou want to increase their inventory to suit their customers' needs and intend to repay their loan within a year, too.

How Sweet It Was!

The summer finished on some high notes.

On Wednesday, July 23rd, staff members brought in desserts to share at the end of the day. Everybody got (at least) one of Mr. Little's world-famous chocolate cookies and three other desserts!

On Friday, at our closing, 8th Graders sang "You Can't Stop the Learning," and a mixed grade group sang "Cuando Sali de Cuba" to an audience which included Mr. Andy Martire, Calvert Head Master, Mrs. Kelly Herrity, Calvert Middle School Head, and Mrs. Mary L. Booker, FSK Principal. Enjoy the attached movie. Downloadable pictures will be posted soon.

9th Graders received Certificates of Completion recognizing their three years with MGP. We hope they return, or at least visit. Mrs. Booker awarded plaques created by 9th Grader Arthur Plummer's father to Mr. Basmajian, Site Director, Ms. Marlowe, Program Director, and Calvert School.

Another Kind of Learning

On Tuesday, July 22nd, 9th graders visited BIC (Baltimore International College). BIC trains students for careers in culinary arts and/or hotel management -- the dorms are in the student-run Mt. Vernon Hotel. Students can earn associate's and bachelor's degrees in addition to gaining certificated skills that make them employable around the world. BIC also offers programs which articulate with Baltimore high schools. Lab (cooking) classes run in twenty-four day cycles; they start at 7 am and finish with LUNCH! Next time we visit, we'll start later so we can get to enjoy what the students prepare.

Radio Days

Selected 9th graders spent two half days July 15-16 at WLOY, the Loyola College radio station learning how to create, record and mix radio spots. They will air July 19-20 and July 26-27. WLOY staff and students direct a percentage of their fund-raising efforts to FSK. Rumor has it that plans are being aired about starting a radio station at FSK!

MGP at the Hippodrome

Monday, July 14th, students from FSK joined students from City Springs, Collington, Northeast Middle and Winston-Salem Middle at the Hippodrome for a Day of Drama. We sang, we danced (some of us did!), we learned some fight scene tricks, tried auditioning for commercials and learned about stage make-up. Some of us could not keep up with the adults who were teaching us. At the end of the day we got to be on the eight story high stage of the Hippodrome which was designed by a man with no architectural training.

Debate Residency

Baltimore Urban Debate League returned to offer a one week residency in debate to our 7th graders. The topic was immigration to support new understandings gained from reading First Crossing and working with Where in the World? Winning teams were: Malik Barnes and Taylor Jones, Jocely Delair and Drue Montgomery, and Mariah Dillard and Aria Jones. Top individuals were : Taylor Jones, Mariah Dillard and Symone Jackson.

Learning Can Be Sweet

Mr. Basmajian, Site Director, prepares to cut the cake celebrating National Summer Learning Day under the watchful eyes of 8th grader Cydni Smith

Boom Day

The students had an opportunity to meet a professor at Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Bertrand Garcia-Moreno, Chair of the Bio-Physics Department, and Calvert parent. He performed exciting demonstrations for them, including levitation, expansion in a vacuum and exploding a solid.

Back at Calvert, students had another science treat, chemistry demonstrations with Mr. Little assisted by Mr. Doss. A few examples of the experiments include fighting over pink, recreating the Hindenberg blimp explosion, and making Alka-Seltzer rockets.

Rock Climbing at Earth Treks

On July 3rd the students visited Earth Treks for rock climbing. It was an awesome experience! Some of the teachers learned how to belay before the field trip. A "belayer" is responsible for tying knots, holding the rope that supports the climber, and insuring the safety of the climber as they ascend the wall. Some of the students were amazing climbers. Everyone really did a wonderful job of learning and improving during the day. A few students actually were chosen to climb the "big wall" where experienced climbers show off their skills.

Visit to Gettysburg

The 8th and 9th grade students went to Gettysburg. They visited the battle site, saw the location of Abraham Lincoln's speech, and learned about Civil War strategies. One student mentioned that they were touched by the importance of Gettysburg in American history, that without the Battle of Gettyburg and the Gettyburg Address the opportunities that we enjoy could be nonexistent.

Later they got to eat lunch at and tour Gettysburg College -- where every room has a micro-wave and a refrigerator!

Sailing at the Harbor

On June 30th, the students went sailing at the Downtown Sailing Center. They had a great time sailing, and enjoyed barbequed hot dogs and hamburgers afterwards. However, some of the hot dogs did not have as enjoyable a time. Yes, those are hot dogs...

Kick Off t Morgan and WJZ Video

On Tuesday, June 24, all students involved with the Middle Grades Partnership from all over Baltimore City arrived at Morgan State University. The event was hosted by the Admissions Office within the beautiful Murphy Fine Arts Center. Featured was a new theme for 2008, "Partnerships, Let's Do This Together." The guest speaker, Munir Bahar, is an entrepreneur who founded KEYS Development, Inc. (Keep Encouraging Youth to Succeed). We also heard music from the MSU Jazz Combo. Finally, we enjoyed ice cream! I am sure that the students will say that the ice cream was a wonderful way to end the day. The cookie dough ice cream is the best (says Mr. Little). There is a wonderful clip from WJZ about the Middle Grades Partnership, featuring our MGP kickoff event at Morgan State University. You can view the segment at http://wjz.com/seenon/school.watch.2.756178.html. Enjoy!

Welcome Back!

On June 23, Calvert welcomed the FSK Summer Scholars: 27 new rising 7th graders and 26 rising 8th graders as well as students from the Summer of 2006 who will be entering 9th grade in the fall. Everybody was very excited to get started with the summer program. The most popular activity was...pretests! We look forward to another successful summer.

The first group of MGP students from FSK to arrive at Calvert School will be entering 9th grade in the fall.

Rising 8th Grade

Summer of 2007

In their second year at Calvert School for MGP, we expect great things from our rising 8th graders. They have a few special activities that only they get to enjoy this summer, including visiting a court house and meeting a special prosecutor on Wednesday, June 25th.