Planning a Summer Environmental Camp

The Hopwood S.A.V.E. club voted to become a youth chapter of Beautify CNMI so our outgoing 8th graders can continue to be actively involved. Starting next year, this group will meet in the evenings once a month and will be open to youth from all middle and high schools, both public and private.

This summer we are sponsoring a two week outdoor school. We need help planning the camp and will need community partners to lead activities and sponsor some of the costs of the camp.

The first planning meeting will be next week on Thursday April 26 at 6:30 p.m. at Cafe at the Park.

If you can not attend but are interested in being involved or have ideas, please email me at uncheesybree@msn.com or call me at 237-3477.

Bree Reynolds
Science Teacher, Hopwood Junior High School
Beautify CNMI volunteer

Recycling at Hopwood

The Hopwood S.A.V.E. Club members have been collecting recyclables from classrooms at school this year. The students recently volunteered their time on a Sunday to come to school and paint barrels for recycling around campus. We are hoping to receive a container soon so the recycled material can be stored and then hauled away by our trash collector.

If Everyone Listened.....

Some people think I'm crazy teaching middle school. Some think I'm either a saint or a masochist for liking what I do. Some days I wonder myself. I'm definitely not a saint and although I have a relatively high threshold for pain, I don't spend 40 hours a week with 13 year olds because I enjoy being tortured. I teach because I believe education, particularly public education is the foundation of an open society and democracy. I teach middle school because the students are just beginning to form opinions and take stock of the events and circumstances that either allow them to feel connected and valued by a community or disenfranchised and worthless. My students are working on projects for the Micronesia Challenge. I set up a blog for the students to express their thoughts and share their ideas and projects. Its called Student Action For a Viable Environment. Except for the environmental club students, all other students on my team (200 8th graders) sign in under one user name (hilitai). So unless they sign their name in the post, I don't know who it is. This doesn't really matter, but one of my students posted a music video by Nickleback called "If Everyone Cared". I cried when I watched it. My mystery student heard a song and listened. He saw a video and paid attention. He gets it! Wouldn't it be nice if everyone did care? Click on the link above and see for yourself.