A way to learn about Hyattsville

Middle school benefits from joint venture with university

Thursday, May 11, 2006

Click here to enlarge this photo Photo courtesy of University of Maryland The University of Maryland in College Park has partnered with Nicholas Orem Middle School students to produce a program designed to educate community members about Hyattsville. Here, university student (from left) Adam Ruda films Nicholas Orem students Trae Leggett, Dylan Untalon and Dieonte Wright.

Seventy-five pupils partnered with 75 university freshman for the College Park Scholars Public Leadership Program, where they did research on the county, and Hyattsville in particular, and shared findings from their projects.

The results of their efforts were showcased at a public event May 4, attended by 200 people.

The university students partnered with 25 students each day, three days a week, for the entire school year, and made videos about their school, and photo collages, and discussed issues of segregation and diversity.

‘‘They did all kinds of different projects, depending on their interests,” said Sonia Keiner Flynn, community engagement organizer for the Maryland Cooperative Extension.

The partnership selected Nicholas Orem based on its proximity to the District.

‘‘We have pinpointed the international corridor as an area we should be working in. We have been doing work at Northwestern High School and Langley Park-McCormick Elementary as well,” Flynn said.

‘‘We’re really trying to develop a special relationship at Nicholas Orem to do an overall, comprehensive plan to try and improve student achievement and provide other opportunities.”

The students also established a garden at Nicholas Orem and the school has started a garden club where the pupils learn how to cook their produce and eat more nutritiously.

Flynn will be doing a ‘‘Literacy through Photography” workshop in the summer where the pupils will explore self, family, community and dreams.

University student Graham Garvie said the experience helped expose him to the challenges pupils face in a diverse community and in homes where they might not get the support they need.

‘‘It’s different from the challenges we face and makes us realize how spoiled we are,” he said. ‘‘A lot of the kids were very intelligent and very successful at their projects.”

While there was some confusion in terms of communication and keeping the pupils interested during the entire year, Garvie said he was optimistic the program would continue to improve.

Nicholas Orem Principal Kenneth Calvin said the partnership proves to be a win-win situation for both groups.

‘‘Last year we were doing a lot of things with low performance children and I realized we didn’t put enough programs in place for the advance students,” Calvin said.

All participants had to be honor roll pupils.

‘‘They’re mature enough and academically advanced to work with college students,” Calvin said.

‘‘It benefited both groups because we have a lot of minorities working with students who had never been in a diverse school setting. They thought it was [rewarding] that they could give back.”

Seventh-grader Jasmine Bailey said she enjoyed her experience working with the university students and would like to participate in the program again next year.

‘‘It was fun,” Jasmine said. ‘‘We got to talk and hang out but still work on a group project. We made a cookbook based on different nationalities.”

One of the goals of the program is to involve parents, local politicians, businesses, community members and the university community in working together to extend programs during and after school.

Hyattsville City Councilman Mark Mateluf (Ward 2), who met with a group of students last fall, said he is interested in creating more opportunities for elected officials to work with middle school pupils

‘‘The program is outstanding. It demonstrates to the kids that adults in the community care about them and what they have to say, and it really focuses on positive,” Mateluf said. ‘‘The participants are building on existing community assets.”

One group did a project and sent a letter to the council with suggestions to improve playground safety.

‘‘The kids get to see that other people are enthusiastic and want to hear what they have to say,” Mateluf said. ‘‘I always say the council’s best ideas are the ones that come from the children.”

Del. Justin Ross (D-Dist. 22) of Greenbelt provided buses for the University students to go back and forth to Nicholas Orem.

The school will partner with the university for another four-week summer program scheduled for June 22 to July 21.

E-mail Jeffrey K. Lyles at jlyles@gazette.net.