For five weeks, we had approximately 27 students improving their squash game, working on common core math and science projects, and receiving social emotional support. In the academic arena, we focused on common core math and science standards that are foundational to academic success during the school year. Our theme weeks of Outer Space, Survivor, World Cultures, The Arts, and “B3”, the culmination of summer camps from Boston (Lawrence), Baltimore and Buffalo kept our students very busy both in and out of the Nardin facility.
Survivor week was one for the record books. Our students drew straws and were stranded on deserted islands of their own designs. The teams then learned survival skills like foraging, finding directions in the wilderness and water collection as well as partnering with Miss Julia and Medic Zero to learn first aid, CPR and the Heimlich maneuver. The final challenge was to survive an escape room using our skills of deductive reasoning and teamwork.
During Outer Space week we learned about atmospheres on other planets, how to use scientific notation with astronomically large numbers (see what I did there), and created a news broadcast from outer space. The week closed out with a visit to the Buff State Planetarium and an enduring interest in the universe beyond.
World Cultures had us learning about our own origin stories and the world at large. Taking the opportunity to try diverse foods and learn about the way people honor their histories and carry their culture, we visited Providence Farm Collective. Here refugees and immigrants from places like Liberia, Myanmar, and Somali can grow their traditional fruits and vegetables, keeping their culture alive as well as raising money for their communities. We also learned about sustainable farming practices that are better for our environment.
Learning about world cultures and visiting the farm functioned as an excellent muse for The Arts week that followed, where we studied various mediums and made sculptures following Fibbonaci’s code and the mathematical principles of design. What we learned was that our passions and cultures, mixed with the golden ratio, lead us to create some really fantastic art!
Our last week started with a bang at Seabreeze Amusement park in Rochester and then blossomed into an opportunity to meet other squash players from up and down the East Coast. We were joined by SEA teams from Lawrence, Massachusetts and Baltimore, Maryland. The last week was a whirlwind of Squash play, trivia, Niagara Falls and chicken wings, and ended with new friends and great memories as the sun sets on another summer with 716 Squash.
— Sarah Linneman, Director of Education