Inaugural Capstone Gallery Walk
showcases research projects of graduating seniors
MURFREESBORO — Blackman High School’s
library and rotunda buzzed with activity recently as 24 of the school’s high
achieving seniors showcased their research projects to the public as part of
the inaugural class of the Blackman Collegiate Academy.
A
unique partnership with MTSU, the academy seeks to better prepare Blackman
students for the rigors of higher education. Juniors and seniors in the academy
who meet eligibility standards can to take up to six hours of university
courses taught by MTSU instructors at no cost. Credits will count on high
school and college transcripts.
Blackman
High Principal Leisa Justus, who was all smiles as she surveyed the students’
project displays, said the March 22 inaugural Capstone Gallery Walk represented
the culmination of the graduating seniors’ research in their chosen areas of
study, ranging from information technology to math and science to performing
arts.
That
research also needed to be connected with a community service project,
resulting in a wide variety of efforts and interests: a student presentation to
the local school about the benefits of installing solar panels at Blackman; a
school drive to collect broken computers that could be refurbished and donated
to students unable to afford them; a walkability study of the Blackman area;
and a new music video promoting the importance of performing arts at the
school, to name a few.
“This
was exactly the vision,” Justus said. “To see students do something beyond
their wildest dreams of what they could achieve, and see them do it with style
and grace and confidence. They’re ready … and they’re going to impact others
around them when they get to a college campus.”
MTSU’s
support has been critical, she added, noting that university coordinated a
campus tour for academy students, opened its writing lab to help students
complete their research papers, provided students access to other campus
facilities and provided mentors to assist some of them with their projects. In
addition, the courses are taught on Blackman’s campus in west Murfreesboro.
No comments:
Post a Comment