Written by Pam Carpenter, Home School Advisor
How can we help each student in our school be successful? This is a question that our Jones Elementary School staff is charged with answering every single day.
We have been studying the 40 Developmental Assets that help students succeed and are committed to infusing them into our daily routine. External assets that children need to succeed are Support, Empowerment, Boundaries and Expectations and Constructive Use of Time. Internal assets needed for success are Commitment to Learning, Positive Values, Social Competencies and Positive Identity. The co-curricular activities that we offer at Jones Elementary contribute in a significant way to building assets in each of our students that moves them toward personal success.
Jones fourth- and fifth-grade students may choose to join Art Club, Drama Club, Student Newspaper, Student Council, Project Peace, Mileage Club, Choir, Circle the State with Song choral group, and Library Helpers. Most of our clubs incorporate some service learning projects. The students thoroughly embrace these clubs and many belong to more than one in addition to community sports or groups.
The variety of clubs and activities are designed to help students find areas of interest and talent outside of academics. They focus on developing students' strengths and their sense of purpose. They build assets! The Constructive Use of Time asset encourages a young person to spend three or more hours a week in creative activities and in sports and clubs at school and/or the community.
Our clubs build this asset and help students learn to prioritize and budget their time. Although we encourage a commitment to learning, not every student is strong academically. By participating in an activity of interest our young people form a sense of Positive Identity and self-esteem when they know there is something they can do and do it well. Our Drama Club and Choir’s performances spellbound the student body this year. Some of these students had never before had an opportunity to perform. They now know that they have talent to contribute.
Empowerment is developed by being of service to others and by embracing roles and responsibilities that are useful and valued in the school community. Students’ Social Competencies improve when they are involved in choosing club projects and when they empathize with others' life situations. For example, our Student Council enthusiastically planned a fundraising event for a fellow student who is battling cancer. They also led a food drive, a fundraiser for a homeless shelter and one to help build a school in the country of Ghana.
Our Project Peace members learn to help peers resolve conflicts nonviolently, which helps all students involved to become socially competent. Jones students tend to remain in co-curricular activities as teens. We are proud to be a part of their success and remain committed to offering co-curricular activities that encourage our students to be the best that they can be!