Jars of Hope: Ames Middle Schooler Receives Philanthropy Award
In November 2021, the Story County Alliance for Philanthropy showed appreciation to many local residents during their 16th annual Philanthropy Day awards. Ames Middle schooler,…
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Science in the City
Ever sit in a science or math class when you were in school and wonder, either quietly or out loud, when will I ever use this? Davis Verhoeven, a senior at Ames High School, aims to showcase exactly how science, math, engineering, and technology (STEM) are used every day and in almost every career through a self-founded after-school program called, Science in the City.
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YWCA Women of Achievement
Each March, the YWCA Ames-ISU announces women in the Story County and Iowa State University communities who are honored with the Women of Achievement Award. The Ames Community School District celebrates two of this year’s recipients. Nicole Coronado, Associate Principal at the Ames Middle School, and Genya Coffey, 7th-grade literacy teacher at Ames Middle School were among the eight honorees. The award recognizes women who are living out the Y's mission of eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.
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Ames Middle School a Top 10 Fundraising American Heart Challenge School
Last spring, the Ames Middle School participated in the American Heart Challenge. This annual fundraising event begins in February, American Heart Month. The Challenge focuses on preparing middle school and high school students for success by strengthening their physical and emotional well-being, while fostering their social responsibility. After a kick-off event, students collect donations for the American Heart Association (AHA), which includes an online program that allows participants to quickly and easily reach out to those interested in donating. According to the AHA, money raised funds life-saving research and community programs in the fight against heart disease.
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Masked Hero: Katrina Williams
Superpower: The ability to take every learning on an educational journey. When in the classroom, Katrina Williams often moves into her alter ego to take students on an educational journey to places where they may not have gone before. “The journey each day is to convince a student learner that I have something worthwhile to teach them.” With 27+ years in education and her second in Ames, Williams is navigating a complicated year by focusing on her powers while developing others along the way.
Read moreRestorative Practices at Ames Middle School
There is a fundamental unifying hypothesis of restorative practices that states human beings are happier, more cooperative and productive, and more likely to make positive changes in their behavior when those in positions of authority do things with them, rather than to them or for them. This is the shift in mindset that Behavior Specialist Andrew Koshatka and staff at Ames Middle School are introducing to students, staff, and families.
Read moreStudent Advocacy at the Center of new Iowa Core Social Studies Standards
Student advocacy and developing a classroom where students can analyze current events, ask compelling questions, communicate their conclusions and take action is at the heart of new Iowa Core Social Studies standards being implemented at Ames Middle School. This inquiry cycle took center stage when 6th-grade teachers Michelle Andrews, Carissa Danielson, and Shawn Peterson began exploring the continent of Australia.
Read moreBetter Together at Ames Middle School
In January 2019, Yonas Michael began his current role as the head principal of Ames Middle School, a position that allowed him to return to Ames after spending time in Maryland to be with his family. Superintendent Risner entrusted him with the mission of strengthening the culture and achievement at Ames Middle School at a time of great transition in the building. As a school leader, a top commitment is to improve student learning. But before jumping into student achievement data, examining the current culture of the building is paramount. “You can have all of the great structures in place. You can hire the best teachers, you can have the best materials and best programs, but if the culture isn’t right or healthy in the building, then none of those things are going to be successful,” said Michael.
Read moreI Can Read with My Eyes Shut!
Owais Samman, an 8th grader at Ames Middle School, may not be able to read with his eyes shut, but he sure can make Dr. Seuss’ classic children’s book fun to read. He debuted his rap of I Can Read with My Eyes Shut at the AMS Talent Show in December after entering the contest initially as a joke between his friends. After contemplating other books such as Llama Llama Red Pajama, he settled this one and impressed the rest of the middle school student body. You can watch Owais rap Dr. Seuss on our YouTube Channel.
Read moreApp Smash: Descriptive Papers w/ Green Screen Video
Ames Middle School 6th grade literacy teacher Drew DeJong is using the idea of “app smashing” to increase student engagement. App smashing is the process of using multiple apps to create projects or complete tasks. It is a great way to provide students with creative and inspired ways to showcase their learning, and it allows teachers a great way to assess their understanding and skills. A recent project in DeJong’s class had students write descriptive papers about their favorite place in the world. The quick 300-400 word piece was looking for sensory writing from the students. “I wanted them to really describe their favorite place,” said DeJong. “What does it look like? Smell like? My goal was that the students would show us where they were at.”
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