Some of the best learning is experiential. A couple of years ago, two friends had an idea to create an online site for the KIS Phoenix Store. After several semesters of design and computer courses beginning in middle school, Justin and Platt, now seniors, were interested in how they might apply their knowledge. They started looking at their school in a new way. What question or problem could their skill set help answer

Starting a story is a challenge. And then you muddle through the middle. Finally you have to find a way to close the narrative. Middle school creative writers in Meaghan Odell’s class just revised their short fiction and gave in person reading to a small audience in the secondary library. Each student learned more about their own writing process and what it’s like to present their work.

Theater students in Helen Thompson’s introductory class began the year with a timely prompt: write a story about these strange times. The small class divided into two groups and began drafting ideas for a screenplay.

History is an eminently practical subject. It is an excellent way to learn logical thinking and argumentation. Working as a historian is a way to learn both about yourself and those around you: to really know someone is to know their history. And to be bonded or connected with another person is to have a “history” together.

The Phoenix Store will soon carry tote bags featuring student designs celebrating KIS! At the start of the school year the PTO invited students to create art representing OneKIS. Eighty-seven K-12 students submitted designs!

Juggling all of these co-curricular activities made me busier but also helped me become more organized and cultured. But most of all, I actually enjoyed high school more because of my involvement. These activities shaped me into the person that I am today.

All bodies need some movement but growing bodies crave movement. Walking, jumping, and running help muscles and bones develop and strengthen as children and adolescents grow. Restlessness or foot tapping or wiggling might be your body saying it’s time to get up and move for a little while.

Every mis-step, every miscalculation, every outright failure offered a valuable lesson that got me where I am today. I learned to always apply myself, set priorities, and not let strangers give me piercings. I wouldn’t have learned those things without going through those experiences. 

We all have heard that it’s important to eat a balanced diet, but what does that really mean? The foods and drinks we fuel our body with impacts our health and also affects how we interact with others, how we feel about ourselves, our energy, and our mood! For students especially, eating well supports focus and memory for successful school days.

Language and culture are intertwined. Culture is rooted in language and language reflects culture. As China slowly reveals itself to the world, more and more people are interested in learning about this country with a rich history as well as a complex language.