Marine Biology Trips
May is the month of Marine Biology trips for Middle School students. These trips are a precious time in the school year where each grade leaves the campus with their own cohort to study marine biology for the week. It’s a week filled with hands-on learning, community-building, and memories that will last a lifetime. These trips are a culmination of all the environmental learning they have done throughout the year and bring everyone at each grade level together for a final hands-on boot camp before the end of the school year.
You may or may not know that the SES middle school classes are mixed grades 6–8. It is a challenge to teach three grade levels all at once, but the rewards outweigh any difficulties one might encounter. Older students become mentors, younger students ground their older peers and teach them the importance of showing up for each other. They are all teachers and all of them are given the opportunity to grow and learn as a community. One week out of the year, they head off with their own grade for an entire school week. Trips will take them to the Oregon coast, Olympic mountains and kelp forests in California. On these trips students leave the amenities of home and are challenged to step out of their comfort zones with hikes, climbs, water activities, research, team building and more. The mantra is participation and everyone must at least attempt to grasp the first grip on the climbing wall, put the wet suit on even if they might not snorkel, touch the live crab, row the canoe and look through the microscope even if they are afraid of what they will see. They return with a renewed energy, the pride of pushing past discomfort, newly formed bonds, and an expanded knowledge of marine biology.
Eighth Grade Speeches
Eighth grade speeches are in full swing. The eighth grade experience at SES is like no other. Students are asked to prepare for their eighth grade promotion by examining their life experiences so far. They consider the most impactful moments of their lives up to now and dig deep to find the best way to share who they were, are, and who they hope to become. They do this by building a portfolio and writing their 8th grade speech. All eighth graders must give a 3–5 minute speech to the entire middle school, family, and friends. It can feel daunting, but the pride that comes from the completion of this special project can’t be denied. Students reflect on topics like the education system and learning, travel, family, facing challenges and so much more. The audience laughs, cries, and commiserates with them as they share their perspective on life thus far and what might come to be. One walks away with optimism for the generation which will be leading us in just a few years. If you know a current eighth grader, check in to see if you can join the fun on their big day.
May 19th Dine Out for SES at McMenamins Bagdad Pub
Support SES and head to McMenamins Bagdad Pub on May 19th from 5–10 p.m. for a meal that will fill your belly and support SES at the same time. 50% of sales will go to SES! This restaurant has one of the best locations for people-watching and the atmosphere can’t be beat. Invite your friends and make a night of it!
Free People’s Society Book Drive
Mobile libraries are no longer a thing of the past. There is a mobile lending library right here in Portland! The Free Society People’s Library (FSPL) is putting together an end-of-the-year book drive to fill in some areas in their collection, including disability justice, food justice, middle reader and YA, Indigenous studies, border abolition, and reproductive justice. They are hoping to have 100 books donated by the beginning of summer. You can buy books from their wish list on bookshop.org.
All book sales will benefit Revolutions Bookshop in St. Johns. If you have books you would like to donate you can send a picture of them to info@freesocietylibrary.org. They will take a look and follow up.
FSPL’s goal is to “provide free, accessible, information on radical movements and revolutionary ideas past and present to people of all ages.” They provide services in NE and SE Portland. In addition to a mobile library, they also have community bookshelves around town. They collaborate with schools around the city to help provide books and knowledge to classrooms that one might not find in a school library. You can go to their website (freesocietylibrary.org) to find out where they will be and to get more information.