Experiential Learning at Its Best

A note on language: While there are multiple ways to identify as Autistic, Rowland Hall has chosen to use the identity-first language that many Autistic adults advocate for. We have also chosen to capitalize Autism and Autistic to affirm this identity.

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Third-grade teacher Hannah Ruske has a passion for inspiring children to make the world a better place for every type of learner.

“I feel very strongly that kids need to be exposed to neurodivergence really early,” said Hannah.

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The daughter of a special education teacher, who for years has supported neurodivergent learners herself, Hannah has plenty of experience working with students of all abilities. But she knows these opportunities aren’t available to everyone—and she’s working to change that. That’s because when people, of any age, have chances to learn about neurodivergence, as well as disability, they’re better prepared to be welcoming and inclusive.

When you get in early and proactively teach kids to notice differences without othering differences, it sets the groundwork for them to be better community members in the future.—Hannah Ruske, third-grade teacher

“When you get in early and proactively teach kids to notice differences without othering differences, it sets the groundwork for them to be better community members in the future,” said Hannah.

So Hannah has committed to making her classroom a place where students learn about the many ways brains work and practice skills that help others feel welcome and included. She also looks for real-world opportunities for students to practice these skills in their own communities. At Rowland Hall, this has happened through an exciting new partnership between Hannah’s class and the Carmen B. Pingree Autism Center of Learning, located next door to the McCarthey Campus. 

Thanks to the nature of the independent education model, which leaves space for teachers to pursue learning opportunities around classroom areas of interest, Hannah was able to design a powerful authentic learning experience that connected, and mutually benefited, students at both Rowland Hall and Pingree. After sharing her initial idea with Rowland Hall’s Center for Community Impact team, Hannah met with Rafael Ochoa, clinical director of the Pingree Center, in November to discuss how they could work together. They decided one to two monthly meet-ups, which would allow the Rowland Hall class to work with several grade levels, would most benefit both schools.

To prepare for these visits, Hannah spent two months helping her class understand the best ways to be good friends to Pingree students. They learned about Autism, including viewing Autism as a skill, not a deficit, and began forming an understanding that there are a wide array of Autistic experiences. They talked about the many ways brains work. They discussed disabilities, including how to notice differences without making people feel singled out and uncomfortable. And as they learned, Hannah made sure there was lots of time for questions.

“It’s important to teach how to categorize difference in a safe environment where students can ask questions and make mistakes before they’re out in the world and don’t know how to approach it,” she explained.

To assist with their learning and guide neurodiversity-affirming interactions, the class created a list of tips, from how to engage a friend to how to be respectful of a student’s sensory needs. They identified activities they could enjoy with their friends, including reading, drawing, working on booklets, playing on the playground, and engaging in outdoor games designed for students of all abilities. And after they began their meet-ups in January, they started reflecting on each visit together and in personal writings—an important step in helping the third graders more deeply engage in the experience

“It felt like such a privilege to have this time and freedom,” Hannah said about this space to prepare and reflect. “I think that’s why it’s been so successful.”

It’s been a success for Pingree, too, making space for students in a range of classes to sharpen their social and communication skills within safe, welcoming relationships with other children.

“As an Autism center supporting clients with social communication challenges, our partnership with Rowland Hall’s third-grade classroom has been an incredibly meaningful experience,” said Rafael, Pingree’s clinical director. “These shared moments create natural opportunities for our clients to practice social skills in a fun, inclusive, and supportive environment. Watching friendships form over ‘get to know you’ booklets, playground games, and shared laughter has been a reminder of how powerful connection and kindness can be. Together, we’re building a stronger, more inclusive community—one smile, game, and conversation at a time.”

Together, we’re building a stronger, more inclusive community—one smile, game, and conversation at a time.—Rafael Ochoa, clinical director, Carmen B. Pingree Autism Center of Learning

And what’s perhaps most exciting is how this community, fostered among preschool and elementary students from two campuses on Guardsman Way, is growing every day. Drop by Hannah’s classroom and it won’t be long before you’re treated to a variety of stories—like how a class member used these new skills to make a friend at the airport during April break, or how another, a young ballerina, said this knowledge has helped her be a better friend to a fellow dancer.

The third graders are also doing their part to engage others in this work. From teaching their families and friends to sharing their list of tips with the entire Lower School at a recent Roar and Soar assembly, these changemakers are shaping a world of belonging for every type of learner—and they hope you’ll join them. Read on to learn more.

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Tips for Being a Good Friend, by Ms. Ruske’s Third Graders

Below, Hannah’s class share their top takeaways from this year’s partnership with Pingree. (Please note that these tips are based on the class’s experience at one center that serves Autistic children and don’t encompass every Autistic experience. Additionally, while these tips focus on making friends at Pingree, many are helpful for making friends with anyone.)

• Remember that everyone you meet is, first and foremost, a person. One of the top things every class member will tell you is to center an Autistic or disabled person’s humanity in your interactions. “These friends are not different,” said class member Kitty K. “Their brains work differently.” And, added Monroe O., like any other kid, each person has their own likes, dislikes, and preferences. “I think about it as: when you have friends they can sometimes do different things,” she said.
• Ask before you help someone. Just as you wouldn’t want someone to assume you can’t do something based on your age or how you look, don’t assume an Autistic or disabled person needs your help. Show them the same respect you’d want. “Ask before you help someone,” said Jack S. And that goes for any devices a person may use—they’re an extension of that person. “Don’t touch a wheelchair without permission. The user might not want to be moved,” added Jack. (It’s also good practice to always ask permission before you touch someone, even when it’s not to help—such as when they may need a hug. “Ask before you touch,” advised Gracie W.)
• Laugh with your friends, not at them. Everyone knows how much it hurts to be laughed at or left out of a joke, so keep these things out of your friendships. Also, be aware that friends, including Autistic ones, may do things that are out of their control or feel unfamiliar to you, like calling out in class. Never react by laughing. “You don’t want to laugh. It’s kind of rude,” said Cooper C.
• Be aware that loud noises might be upsetting to Autistic people or anyone with over- or under-sensitive sensory systems. “Be really sensitive,” said Rohan C. about supporting these friends. “You should be quiet and calm,” added Calder O. And be aware that sensory needs take lots of shapes, including visual and tactile sensitivities.
• Be respectful of people’s patterns and organization systems. Some Autistic people may rely on patterns, such as repetitive behaviors, as well as organization systems that are integral to their routines. Be respectful of both and never interfere without permission. “Ask to help,” said Cara D.
• Follow your friend’s lead—you don’t always need to be in charge. At each visit, the third graders found it was best to start by letting their Pingree friends take the lead. This not only helped them gauge each friend’s comfort level (“Some kids ran up to you and hugged you; others were nervous and shy,” said Leo A.), but also showed their friends that they were excited to engage in what they wanted to do. “You don't decide for others, and you have to let friends take the wheel, like if they want to talk or play,” said Zoe P.
• Talk with your friends, not at them. Be sure everyone is part of the conversation. Including everyone in the conversation shows they belong, as does respecting everyone by seeing them as a full person. “Don’t use markers that could be hurtful,” said Zoe T., referring to labels that reduce a person to just one part of who they are. And, of course, remember these rules still apply when someone isn’t in the room. “Don’t talk behind backs,” said Leo.

Further Resources

• Autistic Self Advocacy Network
• Have You Been Wondering: What Is Neurodiversity?
• When Should You Use “Neurodiverse”?
• The Autism Spectrum: A Circle, Not a Line

Community

Every time senior Claire Hersh enters Susanna Mellor’s classroom, the first-grade teacher thinks of the sitcom Cheers.

“The kids always call out, ‘Claaaaaaire,’” she laughs, in a way that reminds her of how the character Norm was greeted when he entered a scene on the television program. “They’re always excited to see her and to show her things.”

And this year, Susanna’s first graders have had a lot of chances to greet and interact with Claire, who joins their class several times each week as part of her independent project on elementary education.

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“Since I was little, I’ve known I wanted to be a teacher,” said Claire, and she’s taken every opportunity she can to prepare for this career: she’s an expert babysitter, has worked as a summer camp counselor, and has a part-time job at an after-school program.

But one of Claire’s goals—to intern in a real classroom—felt out of reach. After all, elementary schools are often on break during the summer, the time when most high school internships take place. So you can imagine Claire’s delight when English teacher Dr. Laura Johnson, who also manages the internship program, proposed that Claire instead take on an independent project, an option the Upper School offers to interested juniors and seniors in good academic standing.

Upper School Assistant Principal Stacia McFadden, who approves and oversees independent projects, said the division has offered an informal version of this kind of experience for years, often used to resolve class scheduling conflicts. But as the Upper School has worked to create even more authentic learning opportunities for students who want to follow their interests and build real-world skills, the team has started featuring independent projects more prominently as an option for deep learning, fitting naturally alongside opportunities like internships and Advanced Research classes.

“We want to make sure students don’t just leave here with book knowledge, but also with experiential knowledge—and perhaps find their passion while in high school,” said Stacia. “Allowing students to follow their passions leads to more engaged learning, which helps them succeed.”

And the division has found that students who take on independent projects tend to feel empowered by the experience. Each student-led project, which earns credit toward graduation requirements, includes a proposal, regular check-ins with an advisor, and possibly a presentation at an end-of-year showcase, all of which require full engagement with their subject. Fueled by their own interests or passions, students build confidence as they exercise their agency and find purpose in their chosen work.

It's a very unique opportunity, and I'm very grateful for it. It's something I would not be able to achieve, really, if I went anywhere else for school.—Claire Hersh, class of 2025

The benefits that come from these opportunities are as varied as the projects themselves. For Claire, who’s dreamed of teaching since she was four years old, an independent project has allowed her to try on her dream career, solidifying her confidence in that path.

“I’m actually teaching,” said Claire, who’s led both small- and full-group lessons that have helped her get a feel for the job—a rare opportunity for a high school student, and one that most student teachers only have in their last year of college. And it goes beyond benefiting her today: Claire will continue to tap into the knowledge she’s building as she begins her undergraduate work this fall.

“Claire’s going to be able to connect these experiences with her studies,” said Susanna, who views Claire’s independent project journey as a perfect example of the natural learning cycle that builds meaningful, lasting knowledge. “She can use these concrete experiences to hook theoretical ideas back to. I would have loved to engage in something like this prior to studying educational theory, approaches, and history.”

“It’s a very unique opportunity, and I’m very grateful for it,” added Claire. “It’s something I would not be able to achieve, really, if I went anywhere else for school.”

Junior Catherine Seagrave has a similar perspective, knowing her independent project experience could have only happened at Rowland Hall. Like Claire, Catherine found her passion early in life: a love of all things French, nourished by Fancy Nancy, fashion, and her father’s fondness for romance languages. She planned to take a year of French IV as a junior, but at the start of the year, she spotted a second-semester conflict: the Ornithology class she was interested in was the same period as French. Around the same time, French teacher Effy Bentley, whom students call Madame, approached Catherine about an exciting opportunity: the chance to work as a server in Effy’s friend’s bakery, located in a coastal city in northern France, for the upcoming summer—a dream come true for the young Francophile.

I’m grateful I have access to so many teachers who are invested in their students.—Catherine Seagrave, class of 2026

The duo saw a chance to turn the scheduling conflict into a transformative learning experience that would prepare Catherine to live and work in France for eight weeks this summer. After starting in French IV in the fall, Catherine switched to an independent project for the second semester. Building on her first-semester studies, she created a plan that would further the skills she’ll need for her time in France, like a solid knowledge of travel, home, and time vocabulary, opportunities for oral practice, and even creating a French resume. It’s been a purposeful way to deeply engage with her language studies and build her confidence, and Catherine is thankful to be at a school where her passion was recognized and supported in such an unexpected way.

“It’s been so meaningful. It makes me feel very valued as a community member,” she said. “I’m grateful I have access to so many teachers who are invested in their students. I feel personally recognized by my teachers, specifically Madame.”

She’s also grateful that the experience has helped her better understand herself as a learner.

“I like to work independently, so being able to plan my own coursework and learn things on my own, and sometimes work with Madame, is something that I really enjoy doing,” said Catherine.

This ability to take a new kind of ownership of learning has been a game-changer for many of the students conducting independent projects. Senior Ashlyn Lieberman, for one, has enjoyed the chance to determine how and when she wants to take on her studies in wilderness first aid, a subject she felt would be a wise use of her time as someone who spends a lot of time outdoors. With a busy senior-year workload, including four AP classes, it’s been refreshing for Ashlyn to have a project where she’s fully in charge of setting tasks and managing deadlines.

“It’s allowed me to take my time and learn the material I’m interested in,” she said. And it’s let her apply the skills she’s been building at Rowland Hall in new, low-pressure ways that are good practice for college.

“It gave me freedom that I really haven’t had before,” said Ashlyn. “I have a new sense of when things need to get done, and how I can do them to meet my internal standards.” It’s even, she shared, proving to be a smart move as she applies for summer jobs like river guiding, because it shows initiative to employers.

Ashlyn said she’s hopeful more students who enjoy a bit of independence in learning will consider this kind of option. “The type of student who will do well with this doesn’t have to have the best grades of all time or be the most academic,” she said. But if you crave a chance to be more self-reliant and you’re willing to try out a path that may help lead to success, it can be a wonderful way to uncover your personal strengths and build your self-confidence.

And whether a student chooses a project on education, or French, or physics, or finance, the many benefits, and memories, that stem from this type of authentic learning opportunity stay with them long after the work is complete. For Claire, those memories are numerous, though there’s one that rises above all others. When she walked into the first-grade classroom on her 18th birthday, she was greeted by the students as usual, though this time with cries of “Happy birthday!” mixed in. The class then presented Claire with a stack of handmade cards, each of which shared something special: an “I love you” message, a hand-drawn picture of Claire as a cat. As she read through the cards, Claire teared up.

“They reflected the lessons I taught them about punctuation, the impact that our conversations and relationships have had on them,” said Claire. Each was a representation of a child she’s gotten to know, whose life she’s brought joy into, and each is a reminder of the passion that led her to take on this opportunity. She plans to bring the cards to college, where they’ll continue to inspire her as she takes the next step on her journey to bring her teaching dream to life.

“Those will always be treasures to me,” she said.
 

Authentic Learning

Rowland Hall’s vision is to develop people the world needs. This February, a group of students from the Middle School got a formal introduction to that world and discovered just how vast it really is.

“When we entered the United Nations building it was crazy to see all these nameplates of different countries,” said eighth grader Alex P. “I got to meet people from Spain, Italy, West Africa, all sorts of places.”

Alex was one of 16 Rowland Hall students who traveled to New York City for the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) Model UN conference. There, they were among more than 1,300 young people from more than 100 schools representing 60-plus nations from around the world. They were also the youngest delegation, being the only middle schoolers invited to attend.

“A lot of the kids who were 15 or 16 were asking me how old I was,” said eighth grader Dean B. “They were like, ‘You’re so brave.’ So my goal was just to talk as much as I could.”

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During the conference, the kids were split up and placed in different committees to examine various dilemmas facing the world today. Some explored climate change, while others talked about criminal justice or issues impacting labor. All were put into situations that would stretch their cultural competency and move them out of their comfort zones. However, what could have been a challenge instead became a highlight of the experience.

"My favorite part was getting to hear everyone's different languages and viewpoints,” said eighth grader Zoe P. “Even seeing how computer keyboards were adapted to write in those different languages."

My favorite part was getting to hear everyone’s different languages and viewpoints.—Zoe P., class of 2029

The students soon found themselves making friends with people from all over the world.

“I got to make some really good friends that were from all sorts of different countries, specifically Jamaica, Italy, and Georgia,” said eighth grader Zoya S. “It was really interesting because they brought a lot of new ideas to the table and made the discussions a lot better.”

Improving cultural competency and practicing soft diplomatic skills were not the only lessons learned. Students stepped up to become leaders and, in the process, gained skills that can’t be taught, but only earned.

“These kids walked in there unsure and not really confident,” said seventh-grade world studies teacher Margot Miller. “They walked out on top of the moon. They became very confident, whether it was because they made a speech or had their language included in a resolution. All of that, whether it was very small or very big, mattered to these kids.”

The presence of an authentic audience played a part in students' transformative experiences. The opportunity to step outside the classroom and interact and receive feedback from a larger community led to the students taking the matter more seriously and dedicating their full attention to what they were doing.

“That immersion was so important. It doesn’t get more authentic than the UN headquarters,” said political science and debate teacher Mike Shackelford. “It's a simulation, but you can't simulate a multicultural, global experience like that. You can't get that reading textbooks, being online, or doing any kind of in-class simulation.”

They also had the opportunity to learn from peer mentors who, not long ago, had been in their shoes. The delegation was led by two ninth graders who had previously taken Model UN in Middle School and now are taking Mike’s Applied Forensics class in the Upper School. Gregory House and Reid Venkatesan not only went to participate but also to serve as guides to their younger classmates.

“They would show me and everyone else the work they were doing, five days, four days, every day before the conference,” said Alex about the older students. “They'd help us by showing us the ropes and what to do, explaining things we didn't understand, and even helping us write speeches.”

“Reid was in my commission, and I was trying to keep up with him,” added Dean. “I would probably not be as brave if he wasn’t there. I saw Reid do all this stuff and I wanted to do it too.”

For their part, Gregory and Reid said they were happy to help their classmates, and hope it means they will continue with Model UN as they progress through school.

“I think if you go to Rowland Hall, you should take that class,” said Reid. “The skills that you gain from it, the public speaking, the research skills, and learning how to incorporate that into the rest of your schoolwork, has been super beneficial for all of the work that I do at school.”

Both Reid and Gregory received diplomacy awards for their work, setting a standard that their Middle School classmates hope to attain at future conferences. And some hope to exceed it.

This conference inspired me to change my future. It made me see that I want to make change throughout the world.—Jena S., class of 2029

“This conference inspired me to change my future. It made me see that I want to make change throughout the world,” said eighth grader Jena S. “I think I want to be an ambassador in the UN because it's a way of making change. This helped me open my mind to that.”

Students like Jena are the future of the UN and may help save it in the face of challenges it is facing from around the world.

“It's a delicate arrangement to pursue peace and put your country's interests aside. And that doesn't come naturally,” said Mike. “To instill in younger generations that the UN is a viable institution means that work can continue.”

Rowland Hall will continue its work with the UN this spring during Interim, when a group from the school travels to attend a leadership lab organized by WFUNA, exploring local solutions to global dilemmas.

It’s another step in a partnership that not only opens up a world of opportunity for these students but also gives the world the people it needs.

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Banner photo courtesy of the World Federation of United Nations Associations

Authentic Learning

It’s not every day you get to be among a first group of performers who premiere a song, but that’s exactly what happened to this year’s fourth graders.

That song, The Great Salt Lake by local composer, and former principal oboist of the Utah Symphony, Robert Stephenson, was recently shared for the first time with the Rowland Hall community on Thursday, February 27. On that lovely late winter day, families, faculty, staff, and even two classes of beginning schoolers gathered in St. Margaret’s Chapel on the McCarthey Campus. As the afternoon light gently streamed through the stained glass windows, the accompanist began to play and the students’ voices joined together.

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“Once covered by Lake Bonneville, above the waves eleven rise,” they began. “The islands of the Great Salt Lake reaching for the skies.”

As they sang through each movement, the students led the audience on a tour of the famous lake: its islands and the many creatures that call them home, its essential role in bird migration, its conservation needs. It was an honor for those gathered to witness the piece’s first public performance, as well as to learn how this opportunity came to be.

It all started with a trip to the Great Salt Lake.

Any time we can get them out in the field, it’s huge.—Haas Pectol, fourth-grade teacher

Each September, Rowland Hall’s fourth graders, joined by 10th-grade learning buddies, travel to the Great Salt Lake for a field study of the lake’s ecosystem, history, and impact. This trip, one of many the grade takes during the year as they study Utah’s past and present, is designed to engage students’ senses as they connect their in-class learning to a local landmark.

“Any time we can get them out in the field, it’s huge,” said fourth-grade teacher Haas Pectol, as these experiential learning opportunities invite students to engage their senses, which helps them more easily grasp concepts, make connections, and care about the subject at hand.

At the lake, teachers encouraged sense engagement by having students make scientific observations through the I see, I think, I wonder lens. As they named what they saw, the students began to notice more in the environment around them. They noted their observations as they walked. We wonder, they wrote, why so many dead brine shrimp are floating around … why the sand has waves … how dead fish got out so far … why it smells so bad. 

“I looked at it with a new perspective because we were learning about it while we were there,” remembered fourth grader Jojo T.

Ryan Hoglund, director of community engagement and impact, said sensory learning approaches like I see, I think, I wonder are powerful when it comes to building lifelong learners and critical thinkers because they don’t allow learning to be siloed. As scientific observers at the lake that day, students sparked their own curiosity and wonder as they asked questions and made connections across their knowledge and interests.

“Wonder is a cue,” he said. “There’s a wow there, but you also know you need to go beyond yourself to learn more—do some research, talk to an expert, hear stories.”

These experiences can also help shape people who are empowered to find solutions to the world’s hardest problems by connecting them to a place, person, group, or cause. At the Great Salt Lake, students began to understand that they, too, can advocate for the lake they hear so much about.

“They care more and take more ownership because we’re creating a really meaningful, memorable experience and instilling that this is an awesome place,” said Haas.

So when McCarthey Campus music teacher Susan Swidnicki approached Haas about a multidisciplinary opportunity to link the students’ scientific observations from the lake to an artistic experience that would further their role as its advocates, Haas was excited to help out. Susan explained that her friend Robert Stephenson, who goes by Bob, was writing songs for the school’s children’s choruses. They wanted to include a piece about the Great Salt Lake and hoped fourth graders could contribute to its creation by sharing with the composer what about the lake most inspires them.

Did you know that collaborating with Bob Stephenson wasn’t the only way fourth graders built on their Great Salt Lake field study? The students and their 10th-grade buddies also created brochures for the lake’s 2024 intercoastal cleanup event. And the teachers shared their expertise with FRIENDS of Great Salt Lake, which creates fourth-grade curriculum for Utah schools. Their advice? Build in opportunities to engage students’ senses so they feel more connected to their lake studies.

The teachers decided to use picturing writing, a sensory engagement project in which students create a piece of art, then describe elements of that art through poem or prose. Susan led the students through the artistic process, providing photographs of the lake to inspire the class as they created crayon and watercolor paintings. Next, Haas led them through a descriptive writing exercise where they interpreted their paintings through vivid descriptive language. Thanks to their field study, they were well prepared.

“They drew on their own senses,” said Haas. “They’ve been there, saw it, smelled it.”

When the class was done, they had a gallery showcasing a range of subjects, from the lake itself to the landscape that surrounds it. Salty banks. Invasive phragmites grass encroaching on nesting areas. Mountains. Bird nests. The lake’s animals were there, too, from brine shrimp and antelope to the snowy plover. Even Pink Floyd, the legendary Chilean flamingo who wintered at the lake from 1988 to 2005, was represented. Below each image, the students’ words brought the lake to life, waking the reader’s own senses as they described the colors of sunset, the grit of a shoreline, the prickle in your nose as you catch a whiff of the lake’s signature scent.

The class then invited Bob to campus to view the gallery and gather inspiration for the subjects that would shape his songwriting. Bob said it was important to him to incorporate as many aspects of the lake as possible to illustrate its vital, multifaceted role, and its importance to the community and environment. Over time, this took shape as three separate movements: “Above the Waves,” which describes the lake’s landscape through the lens of its 11 islands; “Brine Shrimp, Brine Flies,” which playfully highlights the lake’s role in bird migration; and “Nowhere to Go,” which addresses the crisis of the shrinking lake. The goal, Bob explained, was to inspire listeners to aid in Great Salt Lake’s preservation.

“I hope somebody listening to the piece realizes the lake’s relevance, and that if we put our minds together and we collaborate, and we’re careful, it’ll be something that lasts,” he said.

It’s a perspective that fits beautifully with Rowland Hall’s approach to shaping empathetic, ethical citizens through our curriculum. In music class, this happens through discussions of musical changemaking. “We’ve been trying to teach them that music can sometimes get a message through to people when other things can’t,” explained Susan.

This role as musical changemakers, coupled with their own experiences from the field study, inspired and energized the entire fourth grade, which agreed to perform the song’s world premiere. Over the months they prepared and practiced, Bob visited rehearsals several times to collaborate with the students, gathering feedback and making adjustments in real time. The teachers hoped these experiences were memorable not only because they gave students a peek into how a professional musician works, but also because they proved that others are invested in and available to them as they work to make change.

“We want students to be exposed to all these different people in our community—it makes them feel having access to community partners is normal and within the realm of feasible things that can happen,” said Haas. And the chance to work with Bob, like the chance to visit the lake, more deeply connected them to the learning experience.

“They feel so lucky to have a composer work with them and really honored to be part of the process,” said Haas, “and they really took it seriously,” even and especially as they were challenged to learn three complicated movements, stretch their singing abilities, and master new vocabulary. Fourth grader Noelle B. explained that learning the song could be challenging (like when she was trying to hit the high notes!) but it was fun to be part of the process. It’s clear that the confidence built through the experience helped students like Noelle feel real ownership of the collaboration.

“It’s exciting that we get to have our own song,” she said with a smile.

And the students are excited about the song’s potential impact. After the February premiere, Bob began the process of searching for a publisher, with the goal of making the piece available to more schools so it can, hopefully, inspire greater advocacy.

Our goal is for children to awaken all senses and know they can use their whole self to learn.—Susan Swidnicki, McCarthey Campus music teacher

As for the song’s first, and perhaps most passionate, singers, the teachers hope the multidisciplinary process behind this experience has a long-term impact on how they view themselves. After all, this kind of learning, explained Susan, is one of the best ways to help students see themselves as multifaceted people: scientists and musicians and writers and painters, as well as people who can make a difference, all at the same time.

“Our goal is for children to awaken all senses and know they can use their whole self to learn,” she said. “We want to grow and encourage the whole person, and help them understand they can come at challenges from many ways to make their lives, and others’ lives, more beautiful, worthwhile, and better.”

Experiential Learning