Hi-C students showcase final projects
June 17, 2009
By Laura Geggel
Many fifth-grade students participate in activities like classical ballet, horseback riding and guitar playing, but few dive into several month-long projects exploring their talents.
For the past six years, the Hi-C students under the tutelage of Desi Hart at Cascade View, Fall City and Snoqualmie Elementary have completed culminating projects by the end of their fifth-grade year.
Fall City Elementary student Sarah Edwards plays the piano for her final Hi-C project. Photo by Laura Geggel
The process begins in fourth grade, when Hart asks students to record a list of their passions. Throughout that year and the next, the students brainstorm ways to delve into their interests. Hart bases her curriculum for the culminating project on Renzulli’s Model, named for the American psychologist who studied talent enrichment among gifted children.
At the Highly Capable Program Showcase Night June 10, almost 40 students showed their projects to their parents and friends.
Cascade View student Jimmy Jacobson and Fall City Elementary fifth-grader Sarah Edwards composed songs on their respective instruments — Jacobson on the guitar and Edwards on the keyboard.
“Ever since I got my guitar I’ve been writing songs,” said Jacobson, who played a CD of his music at the open house. During his free time, Jacobson plays in the band Anonymous with other Cascade View musicians.
Cascade View fifth-grader Sam Miller did another project entirely. As a former sufferer of little league elbow, Miller knew about the risks, diagnosis, treatments and physical therapy sessions associated with the injury. He funneled his knowledge into an illustrated book that encouraged other little league players to warm up and cool down before and after a game to help prevent injury.
Fall City Elementary student Mary Kate Crittenden combined two of her interests for her final project.
“I love to act and I also love to write,” Crittenden said. “So, I thought putting them together would be a good combination.”
Crittenden wrote a play about two sisters who are different, but find a cause to work together when their dog Sammy goes missing.
At a nearby table, two students at Cascade View had combined their interests into one project. Sarah Hong and Max Puff illustrated notebooks, binders and notepads with doodles of colorful creatures they had created.
They plan to donate the proceeds of their merchandise to the Seattle Humane Society, where Puff got his pet rabbit Cinnamon.
Fall City Elementary fifth-grader Abigail Shaw filmed and edited a video on natural horsemanship, interviewing a horse trainer and appearing as an actress with her two horses.
“It’s a way to communicate with your horse as a friend, instead of just riding it a lot,” Shaw said.
As she flew from table to table, Hart praised her students for their work. The culminating projects not only taught them time management, but also how their classroom work could be applied to the real world.
“The ultimate goal is indelible learning,” Hart said. This tends to come from a strong emotion tied to the learning, a motivation to learn and an adult mentor or influence.”
This may be the open house’s first and last appearance. Due to Snoqualmie Valley School District budget cuts, the Hi-C program will be scaled down from two teachers to one teacher next year.
Hart’s salary was paid for out of Initiative-728 funds, which the state Legislature dramatically cut in the 2009-11 budget.
Hart has been reassigned to another teaching position and Marcia Townsend will teach Hi-C at all five elementary schools in 2009-10.
Reach Reporter Laura Geggel at 392-6434, ext. 221. To comment on this story, visit www.SnoValleyStar.com.
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