NorKam's IB students are Peaking
They're on the eighth draft of a survey they're creating, but the International Baccalaureate (IB) students at NorKam secondary remain resolute.
They will complete their one-month task to promote one of the millennium development goals of the United Nations — the one that talks about the 72-million children around the world who never finish Grade 2.
With the help of a youth grant from CIDA-funded Global Changemakers, the students have been researching their topic and deciding ways to promote its awareness, said teacher Jackie Niblock.
The students call their enterprise Project PEAK — the acronym comes from the concept of primary education for all kids — and have developed several social-media resources to promote the information they have learned.
They have created a website (projectpeak.net), a logo (a figure made of basic school supplies millions of children never have) and a Twitter feed.
They've had to learn about writing press releases and approaching the media, Niblock said.
They're spending time at A.E. Perry elementary, Brock middle school and their home school sharing the information they've learned — wearing special T-shirts they designed to help identify their program.
"A lot of research has been done in their spare time," Niblock said of the project, one that helps them meet the IB requirement to create and complete something outside of their regular school timetable that addresses community service, fitness and creativity.
The survey they're creating has two parts to it: One to gauge what students know about the issue before they hear the PEAK presentation and one to be completed later to help determine how successful the impact of their talks has been.
It's been interesting watching them learn, Niblock said.
Take the survey, for example. When they decided to create one, the students assumed it would be pretty easy — but they've now learned there's an art to create such a resource.
The grant requires the work be completed within a month and, halfway through, Niblock's confident they'll succeed — but she knows that won't be the end of it.
The students are already looking at ways to raise more money to help them expand their project and do more with it.
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