Demopolis Middle Schools holds Good Character Expo
Published 4:13 pm Friday, December 8, 2023
- Demopolis Middle School students showed off their community projects at their Good Character Expo last Friday. Photo by Andrea Burroughs.
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On Dec. 1, seventh graders at Demopolis Middle School came together for a Good Characters Expo to share the service projects they have been working on with community members, mentors and peers.
The service projects were part of the American Character Program, where students learned about historical figures who transformed America, such as Harriet Tubman, Benjamin Franklin and Helen Keller. Students were then challenged to begin transforming things themselves.
The American Character Program is part of the Liberty Learning Foundation, a non-profit organization that facilitates active civics and character programs in K-12 classrooms and orchestrates immersive events that empower schools, parents, local leaders, and businesses to take ownership of the future of their community and the country.
Emcee for the expo, Rachel Bass, is an actor and event assistant. She applauded the students for their hard work throughout the semester, and praised the creativity they put into their projects.
“You formed teams to put character into action, and identified issues in your community,” Bass said. You created innovative solutions that will impact your school and your community.”
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- The Hospital Helpers project focused on raising money for St. Judes Hospital. Pictured in no specific order: Makayla Priscock, Ashton Overton, and Reese Beason. Photo by Andrea Burroughs.
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- The Vape Busters project focused on the ever increasing problem of vaping among young people, and the dangers vapes cause to the body. Pictured in no specific order: MaryGrace Foster, Railynn Snodgrass, Jordan Cherry, Collan Modley, Zoe Forehand, Altreko Cook. Photo by Andrea Burroughs.
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- The Clean Team project focused on how many teachers have to pay out-of-pocket for classroom supplies, including necessities like hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes. Pictured in no specific order: Charlie Reese, Sawyer Wingate, Nathan Sprinkle, and Taraji Taylor. Photo by Andrea Burroughs.
Speaking from their booths, students shared how they formed groups, identified problems in the community, and worked with local mentors to begin taking action. In addition to civics and character taught in the program’s curriculum, students gained real-world practice in collaboration, service, empathy, compassion and communication.
Many students focused their presentations on issues they found within their community such as the dangers of vaping, the importance of reading to young children, the importance of keeping their community clean, and how helping out local hospitals or fire departments can lead to valuable hands-on learning, and possibly even future career paths.
In a statement following the expo, the Liberty Learning Foundation team representatives expressed their pride in how well DMS students performed.
“It was a proud moment for our Liberty Learning team,” the statement described. “We saw first-hand how our programs have paved the way for these middle schoolers to take ownership in their roles as citizens. Their ideas, ingenuity and determination showed us that America’s future is in good hands!”
