Kaira Coburn

SA Summary & Impact

Summary of Project:

In my current middle school, Rhodes Junior High School, in Mesa, Arizona, I believe it

would be very beneficial for students to learn who they are as people. Considering the fact that

the majority of my students are first-year ELD students, it would be very helpful for them to start

to learn not only English, but also a little bit more about who they are as people. My project will

be geared towards learning yourself as a person, and also how to be the best person in your

community. It will ask students: What does your future look like, and how can the things you are

doing now help you?

Since this is a new environment for my students, I want them to be able to start fresh,

and make choices geared towards their success and achievement as students, and as people in

the real world. Within this project, students will learn the value of giving back to your community,

and making conscious decisions and how they affect and impact their futures. This project will

also explore a wide variety of resources and tools that students can you use to better learn and

understand themselves. The idea of this project will have two components: a game portion and

an essay portion. In the game portion, students will use math, science, and history, to influence

their future lives and how it will look. In the essay component, students will put what they

created in the game in words, and show how their writing has improved, and how their language

has elevated since they first started their Journey at Rhodes Junior High School.

Project Impact:
 Student Impact:

This project will have an impact on all students on the AIMs team at Rhodes. This is a cohort of

approximately 70 students, all of which are in 7th grade. Out of those 70, I directly interact and

engage with about 45, who are the ELD students. In the near future, students will be able to

look back at this project and see if they're changes were actually effective, and if they were

something they would recommend to other students in the future. This will also allow students to

engage with one another and realize their difference is, but also the thing that they have in

common as far as improving themselves and their community. Since the majority of my students

come from similar backgrounds, home lives, and upbringing, it will be interesting for me to see

what things have come up with. Knowing that they come from similar neighboring areas, I will be

able to see what needs are in their communities and how this project will affect this as well.

Teacher Impact:

As a teacher in this project, i will be able to gage what resources I can provide. This will also be

useful for me to see what my students think of themselves. The more I know about them as

people, including their learning styles and needs, the better I can serve them as an educator

and mentor. I am a firm believer that my curriculum should be centered around my students and

how it can best benefit them. My teaching should help improve their learning and them as

people. I will be able to provide an enhanced experience in the classroom that will also help

them in the real world.

Community Impact: Because this project is geared towards the community and self, I would

engage the local community. This could include other teachers and staff, local grocery stores, if

there’s any local public transportation. If students are able to recognize needs in their
community, adults are likely noticing these same trends. This will also show students how their

actions can be helpful or detrimental. Being a good person can change the vibe of a community

if the person doing wrong could have a positive impact.