Wilson recently celebrated its annual Multiple Intelligences Arts Domain (MIAD) showcase event with a special presentation to parents and family members of the school's k-8 students.
Through the "Visions: a journey through the MIAD experience" showcase, students were able to create different workshops in their respective fields to demonstrate their acquired skills.
The MIAD program is a highly-awarded program to the Wilson school that enhances students' problem-solving skills beyond mathematical and verbal means (see sidebar.)
The workshops
One of the workshops, out of the 12 presented, catered specifically to the creative writing method.
Ms. Pycik and her 2nd grade class hosted a workshop called "The Poetry Corner." In this workshop students taught participants different types of poems, including Haikus and Diamond poems. Members of the class read their own poems composed throughout the year. In addition, the students helped parents and this reporter with composing their own poem.
Another workshop titled, "Who wants to be a millionaire?" educated students on the importance of personal finance.
Throughout the year, 7th and 8th graders were taught how to use an ATM machine via a trip to a local bank.
In addition to lectures from financial investors, members of the personal finance MIAD were exposed to a mock stock portfolio in which students were given $5,000 of imaginary money to invest.
The results?
The students learned the variable changes of the stock market.
"In stocks you have to be willing to gain and lose [money]," said participating student Niki Russo.
"We bought stocks in Coach, American Eagle, and Hilton," she said, adding that the only one that rose in profit over the 3-month period was American Eagle.
Those who don't have portfolios and worry more about their credit would have benefited from the lecture given by the group in maintaining good credit. The lecture, hosted in Wilson's media center room, was facilitated by charts, graphs, and power-point presentations.
Genesis Lopez, who is a student at Wilson, explained that maintaining good credit when shopping for a home is key.
"Lenders take info from credit reports and those buyers with higher credit scores, can expect much better interest rates," said Lopez.
Assistant principal of Woodrow Wilson and CEO of the personal finance program, Nellie Chapman highlighted the importance the personal finance MIAD.
"If we can inspire students to have a better life with these financial strategies, then we have made a difference," said Chapman, "These students are now more knowledgeable than high school students; this is what should be taught in high school."
Kid witness News
Twelve-year veteran teacher Denise O'Dell directs a youth news program. Per a grant received from Panasonic, the school partakes in the company's Kid Witness News, a program aimed at exposing youths to media-making and production.
Because Wilson has rigorous demands for its teachers, it is essential that educators have experience in the arts in addition to their specified field.
"I worked in video and digital photography, and as a computer teacher - that's how I became inspired to lead this," said O'Dell.
Her enthusiasm is something that also projects itself on to her students.
Eleven-year-old twin sisters Katherine Desimine and Laura Desimine both work on the team, handling different aspects of media production.
"It's fun," said Katherine, "I took it because I'm interested in videotaping and taking pictures and doing things on the computer."
The MIAD program, in addition to honing skills students may already have, also prepares them for possible future career choices.
In addition to recording, Laura edits the film using the iMovie program. She said she would consider a career in news making in the future.
"My favorite part about [the program] is that I get to meet new people and learn what they did in their MIAD," said Katherine.
Nicolas Millan can be reached NMillan@hudsonreporter.com
SIDEBAR:
THE PROGRAM - The Multiple Intelligences Arts Domain (MIAD) program at Woodrow Wilson School is a highly recognized program that was established 13 years ago when the school was founded. The program works together with the school's academics to further students' problem-solving skills. Some of the 60-90 minute courses provided develop skills in the arts including: music (instrumental/vocal), painting, drawing, sculpture, dance, and drama. The program has been successful in not only producing high test scores, but furthering the development of youths as some of them make their way to notable Ivy-League schools such as Brown University, Cornell, and Harvard, just to name a few. Due to the program's success, principal of Wilson Ronald Treanor was invited recently to speak about the arts integration program at the National Conference of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development in San Francisco. During the first three years, Wilson was named a New Jersey State Star School as well as a New Jersey Best Practice School. The school was awarded a Blue Ribbon award, one of the highest honors an American school can achieve. -NM
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