Career Week Ties To The Ford's Theater:
8th grade students participated in all kinds of activities last week, but the main focus was our Career Week. NHMS teamed up with local businesses and the economic development office to teach students a little bit about what our local businesses have to offer in terms of careers, as well as a chance to learn from business people what skills our students will need to be successful employees in the future. There were multiple session topics this week. One of them was a lesson on soft skills and social media. This centered around the idea that collaboration, organized, and aware of their surroundings as well as having a discussion on appropriate use of social media. Another session tackled dressing for success at that first interview and the importance of being on time and reliable. Additionally, the students filled out job applications and even had to go through a mock interview for the job they applied.
On Wednesday and Thursday it was time for NHMS to take to the road to visit some of the fine establishments that New Hampton has to offer. We had students tour Mercy Medical Center, Zips Towing, Trimark, Mick Gage Plumbing and Heating, New Hampton Light Plant, Croell Redi-Mix, and Atek. We appreciate these businesses for opening their doors to our students so they could see some of the great things that are happening in our own community. We also want to thank all of the other businesses and agencies that helped us with the week.
In addition to this, Mr. Rude has been working with his students on a project that fit perfectly with Career Week. As part of his Ford's Theater National Oratory Fellowship, Mr. Rude has been running a project where the students examined careers in the present day against the same careers in the 1870s-1900s. The students have used primary sources and interviews with experts in the careers they are studying to learn more about their chosen fields. The interviews have probably been the most interest part so far. We've had students interview a broad array of people, including a local bank employee, military officers, actors from New York and Washington D.C., Fran McCaffery (Iowa basketball coach) and Bill Fennelly (ISU women's basketball coach) via email, and a telephone interview with Iowa Senator Joni Ernst.
The project culminates with the students giving a speech in which they take on a character from their career and time period. All interviews were lined up and conducted by the students themselves. All in all, it's been a great week of career preparation at New Hampton Middle School.
Spotlight of the Week- Mrs. Reetz:
This time, our spotlight falls on Mrs. Reetz. She is the K-7 General Music Instructor and has been very busy.
On the elementary side of her position, she has been preparing for the upcoming concert on December 4th. This concert features all students in grades TK-4th and will have one song at the end that all students sing. That’s a 250+ person choir! She has also been collaborating with the art teacher to bring student work into this concert!
On the middle school side of things, the first trimester is coming close to an end. The 6th grade has been working on creating their own song from scratch- creating the lyrics, the rhythms, the music and the video with the students performing along the way. Her 7th grade class got a taste of what it is like to be a music producer, creating music that has the power to speak when words fail. Each of them created a video and shared it with the class.
Her intervention students have also been busy. The first section designed and created a mural stating that music is for everyone. They included every student’s name in grades K-8, giving them a music note of their own. The second section has also been busy designing and creating a musical instrument from materials found in the home. We have some creative students!
Mrs. Reetz is an enigmatic and positive component to our team at New Hampton Middle School. She can be seen every day at the beginning of school by the cafeteria doors, greeting each student by name with a smile on her face. She is a team member that goes above and beyond, also helping with the High School’s recent musical, Beauty and the Beast and serving on various school committees in the elementary and middle school. Thanks for all you do, Mrs. Reetz!
Pictures include:
Design Instruments
- Carter S.- drum set and Kendra P.- flute
Music is for Everyone with Students
- Left to Right: Hailey T., Koryn L., Treyce O., Ashley R., Alexus H., Ethan S., and Lane W.
Music Speaks
- 7th Grade First Trimester Students
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