Portfolio tag: Medford High 2019-2020
Goals Against Cancer
Goals Against Cancer was a fundraiser started by Tenzin Ganchentsang, Jacob Randazzo, and John Falco. The purpose of this was to have businesses from around the Greater Boston Area either ‘pledge’ or make a donation that we collected. Each goal scored by the boys’ lacrosse team during the month of March generated $1.00. They donated the funds they generated to The Cam Neely Foundation which provides care for cancer patients.
Medford Electronic Clean-Up
The Medford Electronic Clean-up is a bi-annual event to help reduce the amount of harmful e-waste that is disposed of incorrectly. We worked with the Mayor’s office to set up these cleanup days as a district-wide event. We accepted electronics such as old computers or computer parts, gaming consoles, phones, monitors, and many others. We then recycled most of the gathered technology to a local electronics recycling plant and reused other gathered technology for fun projects. The goal of the Medford Electronic Clean-up is to reduce toxic materials like mercury, lead, or cadmium, from poisoning the Earth.
Link-Up
Every building has a strong structure of support, and without that support buildings come tumbling down. A parent or guardian is that structure of support for students and communication shouldn’t be a factor that prevents a student from having that support. Many students at Medford High have parents whose primary language isn’t English. “Link-Up” is a project aimed at providing parents of Medford students access to school information in their language without any language limitations. Our goal is to translate documents and information in all the languages present at Medford Public Schools.
Care Packages for Veterans
For our CCSR project, we sent care packages to Veterans and deployed soldiers. We chose this idea for our CSSR project because we all currently have family deployed in the army and have family members who are veterans. We loved making these care packages to send them a little piece of home to them. The packages included hygiene products, gym items, and comfort products. We fundraised by passing around dum-dum lollipops around hallways and at lunch. They were one dollar for a bundle of three lollipops. We thank you for your help for a good cause!
Canary
Our world is in a crisis. Climate change is coming whether you like it or not and it must be faced head on. Canary is a brand made to help protect the environment. We made a stylish and comfortable clothing line with an environmental outlook. Canary included reusable products such as tote bags, QR-code stickers, etc, to further our environmental focus and promote sustainability in Medford. All profits went to several charities focused on fighting/lobbying for climate justice and disaster relief caused by global warming. We believe the fight for our futures is a long journey that will far overshadow Canary, but hope to spread the message, urgency, and power of the movement.
Butterfly Project
For the CCSR project fair this year, our group has decided to take it upon ourselves to make Medford High more appealing to the eye. Our courtyard has undergone various attempts to try to beautify it, but none have had an everlasting effect. We created a butterfly garden in the outside courtyard of our school. To do so, we purchased and planted the specific flowers that attract butterflies in the hopes of us having our own little garden. Attracting these butterflies will not only help the flowers already in the yard with their pollination, but it will also bring color into our very bland school. By maintaining our plot of land clean and healthy, we hope to make Medford High’s courtyard something completely different.
The Self Positivity Project
Our project is a way to spread self positivity throughout Medford High School. We had the students write one thing they like about themselves on an index card. The index cards were different colors so we arranged them to spell out the message, “Put Yourself First.” From afar the students and visitors of MHS saw the positive message, but up close they saw the positivity in action from the student’s responses. This caused people to think about their opinions on themselves and how they can improve on their self positivity, hopefully starting a path or conversation of self admiration for students.
Haitian Flag Day Assembly and Celebration
Every year, on May 18, Haitian flag day brings out pride and joy, not only throughout the Haitian Community, but everywhere. In order to celebrate their diversity and inform on the significance of this day, Medford High students organize an educational assembly, portraying aspects of the Haitian culture. The celebration is not limited to Medford High School but extends throughout the entire district. The High School students attend the Middle and Elementary schools, interacting and teaching other students the inspiring aspects of their culture. To conclude the festivities, the students host a party sharing food and music reflecting Haitian culture and heritage.
Gum Be-Gone!
While thinking of ideas to help our school and community, it was brought to our attention numerous times the amount of gum stuck under the desks and tables. Our project is revolving around this unpleasant problem every student has encountered, but doesn’t get enough attention to be dealt with. The goal of our project is to rid as many desks of gum as possible. We stayed after school whenever we could to help teachers who want their classrooms to be cleaner.
Stress-Free Midterms
For our project we will be focusing on the idea of a stress-free midterm period at Medford High School. No matter what classes you take, who your teachers are, or what grade you are in midterms are a stressful time for everyone at Medford High School. There is immense pressure to do as best on your test as possible which can create unnecessary stress and worrying. We want students at Medford High to be able to get some sort of stress relief during this time period. Our group made slime and put it in all three cafeterias during the week of midterms. The purpose of this was for students who might be feeling the extra pressure of studying and cramming for midterms to be able to come by and relax for a short or long period of time. The slime is meant to be enjoyable and helpful in relieving some unneeded tension before testing. We think it is so important for everyone in Medford High to do great on their midterms. While we can’t help the students during the tests we wanted to give them a sense of relief before the test. Our goal was to ultimately help students feeling extra pressure during midterms clear their minds for an afternoon so they can do the best on their tests as possible.
Painting The Playgrounds
Lucas Ruocco, Isabella DeSouza, and Amer Shah decided to expand the same concepts of an interactive playground painting that educated the students while also providing an easy way to learn at the Roberts Elementary School in Medford. They met with Mr. Johnson to exchange ideas for what to paint on their playground. After a fun discussion with Mr. Johnson, they decided that the school and their students would benefit most from a playground game centered around sports and interaction. The group was told by Mr. Johnson that the little kids love playing games and that although they are fenced to a certain area, painting some games that are suitable for the younger kids would be best. The group decided that having multiple games that are smaller would be more beneficial to the little kids. For the older kids they decided to turn one of the two foursquare spaces into a checkerboard game where the kids can play. In a way to get the students more involved, the student council voted on which designs should be painted on the playgrounds, which truly demonstrates the essence of community in CCSR.
The Basketball Game for Betterment
Our CCSR project for this year is the Basketball Game for Betterment. One thing that all three of us have in common is a want for inclusion in Medford High School. Inclusion is when you invite someone into a group or gathering who does not usually have the opportunity to. We’re focusing on the Special Education program, and the students of the Access Program. We want to make new friends, and learn more about the people in our high school who we don’t normally speak to often. After getting to know some students from these programs, we learned that they enjoy sports and doing activities with others, with one specific sport being basketball. That is why we have created the Basketball Game for Betterment; to raise awareness for inclusion, to have fun while doing it, and maybe even make a few friends along the way!
Pine Street Packages
For Haley O’Rourke and Lily Loren’s project, they collected donation items to bring to an organization called Pine Street Inn, located in Boston. At Pine Street Inn there are several different lists of things you can collect and donate posted on their website, and each list is designated to a certain type of package that the donated items will be a part of. The two main types of ‘kits’ assembled with the donations are “Welcome Home Kits” and Toiletry Kits. Welcome Home Kits include daily items that are hard for Pine Street Inn guests to acquire on their own as they’re settling into a permanent home for the first time in a while. Some of the things that are put into these baskets are sheets and blanket sets for full and twin-sized beds, towels and toiletries, kitchen items such as plates, silverware, paper towels, and sponges, reusable bags, a $50 gift card for Stop n’ Shop (or other grocery stores) or Target, as well as many other things. The Toiletry Kits include all of the necessary items you need to maintain good day-to-day hygiene, as well as other necessities such as toilet paper, cleaning supplies, multicolored Band-Aids, unscented lotions and soaps, and other simple items you may find in your bathroom. They collected donation items to assemble many of both types of kits. https://www.pinestreetinn.org/
Moving Medford from Plastic to Paper
Our project for the 2019-2020 school year is about decreasing Medford’s ecological footprint. Many local cafes and restaurants use plastic straws and don’t realize what it is costing the environment. Our goal was to get Medford to start using paper straws (or at least move away from plastic straws) because paper straws do not have any negative effects on our town or on the Earth. We worked with the local government and local businesses to move towards a more sustainable future.
The Community Give Back Project
Our project donated to local shelters, such as homeless shelters and women’s shelters. We wanted to create a way that students can easily donate to these shelters. To do so, we placed a box in the main office where students can place donations. We wanted to give to different shelters around us, so every couple months or so we chose different shelters that can be donated to. By doing this we wanted to make an easier way to donate and advertise for different shelters around us that you can donate and volunteer to. Additionally, we wanted to volunteer at the shelters to do more than just donate.
Health and Math for Haiti
This project provided first aid kits and a math books for a school in Haiti. It’s very hard for teachers and kids when they don’t get provided with proper school supplies. In Haiti kids play outside on rough grounds and most likely get hurt and they don’t have nurses to take care or provide for them. First Aid kits would be very helpful in providing treatment when a kid gets hurt. The First Aid kits were provided for one school in Haiti through a foundation. The next items were math books because most schools don’t have a printer where they can print math sheets out. Math books were provided for the teachers and they can use it to come up with problems and lessons.
Medford Talks
The Medford Talks project is all about the education of students beyond the classroom. Medford Talks is a series of lectures from students, teachers, and local professors on specific topics. The hope and goal of our project was to have students attend lectures that would further their knowledge on a subject that may interest them, and to have students, teachers, and professors speak about topics they are passionate about. We provided free lectures for all students and staff of the MHS so that they can further their knowledge and understanding of the world around them beyond just the classroom.
Song of the CCSR
Song of the CCSR is a project to create an official song for the CCSR. The lyrics reference important social issues and highlight specific CCSR projects. The song not only functions as a moral booster for the CCSR and its members, but spreads the message of the CCSR to people who may never hear about it. Our goal was to make a fun, interesting advertisement to help inspire students to make their community a better place. The song was written, played, and performed by CCSR members. Our CCSR project was focused on the inclusion of students in Medford High School with disabilities. Inclusion deals with joining students with disabilities and simply talking and getting to know them better from both an academic and personal viewpoint. During these class periods, we went to their classroom, came up with activity plans, and used those activity plans to get to know our new friends better. We gained an understanding of those around us, and by doing this project, we hope people will recognize that these students are just as nice, funny, and smart as your friends. We hope everyone will be able to greet these students on a first name basis, and not have fear of what they might say in return, because even a simple “hello” can go a long way! Our CCSR project was focused on the inclusion of students in Medford High School with disabilities. Inclusion deals with joining students with disabilities and simply talking and getting to know them better from both an academic and personal viewpoint. During these class periods, we went to their classroom, came up with activity plans, and used those activity plans to get to know our new friends better. We gained an understanding of those around us, and by doing this project, we hope people will recognize that these students are just as nice, funny, and smart as your friends. We hope everyone will be able to greet these students on a first name basis, and not have fear of what they might say in return, because even a simple “hello” can go a long way!
Lobby Beautification
The first thing students, teachers, and visitors see when they walk into the building is the lobby. While there are some points of interest, the lobby was missing something; it needed an eye catching piece that would draw people in. We found that the four plain white pillars in the lobby were a perfect place for some images. We also did not want something to just beautify the space, we wanted it to have meaning. Each pillar now has a theme, some being human rights, environmental appreciation, and mental health. Our CCSR project was focused on the inclusion of students in Medford High School with disabilities. Inclusion deals with joining students with disabilities and simply talking and getting to know them better from both an academic and personal viewpoint. During these class periods, we went to their classroom, came up with activity plans, and used those activity plans to get to know our new friends better. We gained an understanding of those around us, and by doing this project, we hope people will recognize that these students are just as nice, funny, and smart as your friends. We hope everyone will be able to greet these students on a first name basis, and not have fear of what they might say in return, because even a simple “hello” can go a long way! Our CCSR project was focused on the inclusion of students in Medford High School with disabilities. Inclusion deals with joining students with disabilities and simply talking and getting to know them better from both an academic and personal viewpoint. During these class periods, we went to their classroom, came up with activity plans, and used those activity plans to get to know our new friends better. We gained an understanding of those around us, and by doing this project, we hope people will recognize that these students are just as nice, funny, and smart as your friends. We hope everyone will be able to greet these students on a first name basis, and not have fear of what they might say in return, because even a simple “hello” can go a long way!
Be Green Project
As CCSR members, our goal is to make the world a better place. As of right now, many people are hurting the environment. We made a PSA about the environment and how to help our earth survive. As the future generation, we want to live in environmental conditions that are better than they are right now, not worse. We want to minimize the use of plastic water bottles in our school by having the students of Medford High use reusable water bottles since plastic can hurt our environment. As a school that is very close with its environment because of the Fells, we should be doing more to help our environment. This PSA was both helpful to others and entertaining.Our CCSR project was focused on the inclusion of students in Medford High School with disabilities. Inclusion deals with joining students with disabilities and simply talking and getting to know them better from both an academic and personal viewpoint. During these class periods, we went to their classroom, came up with activity plans, and used those activity plans to get to know our new friends better. We gained an understanding of those around us, and by doing this project, we hope people will recognize that these students are just as nice, funny, and smart as your friends. We hope everyone will be able to greet these students on a first name basis, and not have fear of what they might say in return, because even a simple “hello” can go a long way! Our CCSR project was focused on the inclusion of students in Medford High School with disabilities. Inclusion deals with joining students with disabilities and simply talking and getting to know them better from both an academic and personal viewpoint. During these class periods, we went to their classroom, came up with activity plans, and used those activity plans to get to know our new friends better. We gained an understanding of those around us, and by doing this project, we hope people will recognize that these students are just as nice, funny, and smart as your friends. We hope everyone will be able to greet these students on a first name basis, and not have fear of what they might say in return, because even a simple “hello” can go a long way!
Benches Of Dugger
This summer, we had the pleasure of working with the New England Regional Council of Carpenters, Allie Fiske and Mike Nestor. They made and donated beautiful benches to us. We painted a female empowerment bench, a LGBTQ+ bench, a diversity bench, and lastly a sports bench. We think that these themes help make our community what it is. After the benches were painted, we moved them to Dugger Park, had a ribbon cutting ceremony, and we will hopefully broadcast it for the community and towns surrounding Medford. We are excited to introduce the new benches of Dugger Park to the community! Our CCSR project was focused on the inclusion of students in Medford High School with disabilities. Inclusion deals with joining students with disabilities and simply talking and getting to know them better from both an academic and personal viewpoint. During these class periods, we went to their classroom, came up with activity plans, and used those activity plans to get to know our new friends better. We gained an understanding of those around us, and by doing this project, we hope people will recognize that these students are just as nice, funny, and smart as your friends. We hope everyone will be able to greet these students on a first name basis, and not have fear of what they might say in return, because even a simple “hello” can go a long way!
This Mustang C.A.R.E.S.
“This Mustang C.A.R.E.S.” is an acronym for Cooperation, Accountability, Responsibility, Empathy, and Safety at the McGlynn elementary school. This acronym is emphasized so that students can reach their full potential as Mustangs. The McGlynn uses it as a way to teach kids how to be good citizens in school, as well as out of school. With the help of teachers and the CCSR, we created a video about C.A.R.E.S. that demonstrates how high school students use C.A.R.E.S. in our everyday lives. It was shown at the beginning of the school year, and will continue to be shown every year, so C.A.R.E.S. can be apart of every school year. Our CCSR project was focused on the inclusion of students in Medford High School with disabilities. Inclusion deals with joining students with disabilities and simply talking and getting to know them better from both an academic and personal viewpoint. During these class periods, we went to their classroom, came up with activity plans, and used those activity plans to get to know our new friends better. We gained an understanding of those around us, and by doing this project, we hope people will recognize that these students are just as nice, funny, and smart as your friends. We hope everyone will be able to greet these students on a first name basis, and not have fear of what they might say in return, because even a simple “hello” can go a long way!
Funding For Charities
DECA, CCSR, and Four Diamonds from Penn State Health, have collaborated to create a community activity that helped fundraise to fight against childhood cancer. We created an event that the community could participate in, with games and fun activities with the end goal of raising money to help those in need.
Charity Wiffle Ball Tournament
This tournament was for everyone that would like to participate. Derek Marino was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma on September 9th. He recently just started chemo and the doctors are leaning towards Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Derek is an 8th grade at the McGlynn Middle School. This past summer Derek played for the U12 Medford District team. All of the money raised during the tournament went directly to help Derek with his recovery. For the tournament there were four games going on at the same time, and I created a bracket due to how many teams were participating in the tournament.
The Bahamas Relief
The Bahamas were devastated by Hurricane Dorian and they need our help. We sold snacks after school to raise money for the Bahamas in order for them to recover as fast as possible. The snack bar was in the main lobby right after school so students leaving for the day could buy a snack and support the Bahamas.
Letters of Comfort
“Letters of Comfort” is a project by Leticya Souza and Brianna Leccese. We hand wrote letters to parents who have children in the hospital. Our goal is to reassure them that everything will be okay and to wish them the best of luck for whatever they are going through, providing comfort for stressed parents is our objective!
Tax-less Tampons. Free the Feminine Products
We created a system that provided students with free feminine products, much like the existing program at Medford High School that provides food for students in need. We found a company willing to donate feminine products. It was our goal to raise awareness of the need of feminine products and make them available to low income families and high school students. We also contacted the state government and see what we can do to make pads and tampons more affordable and available to all schools, shelters, and jails. Feminine products are not a luxury but rather a necessity and should be affordable by all.
Nursing Through Music
Nursing through Music is a project aimed to bring a greater variety of entertainment and activities to members of the Medford Rehabilitation & Nursing Center. Three students from Medford High School, Erin Tan, Christina Zheng, and Katharine Schmidt, made visits to the nursing center once a month to give both solo and trio performances of classical music. Listening to music is proven to reduce stress and contribute to psychological well-being, and provide many other benefits, which is the end goal of this project. The group includes a cellist, pianist, and violinist, which is a standard trio, making a wide range of repertoire available. Each of the group members also has previous experience in classical music, and played solos as well as trios to give the maximum variety to their performances. This project allows student musicians to build community and bring music to members of the Medford Rehabilitation & Nursing Center while also gaining valuable experience in performing music in front of an audience.
CCSR x Tufts Questbridge Chapter Resource and Mentoring Program
The goal of this project was to help first generation, low-income (FGLI) high school students in professional development and the road to college by connecting them to college readiness resources and a Mentor Team composed of Tufts students of similar backgrounds. Students asked the Mentor Team questions through online communication and received compilations of resources in the form of lists, graphics, videos, and webinars. They were also given the opportunity to participate in resume building workshops and tours of the Tufts campus.
Activate the Athletics
Our project called “Activate the Athletics” redesigned the Athletic Hallway portion from it’s entrance all the way to the other opening passageway further down in the hall. We left space for future years to take on the project and continue its mission. The hall was modified with new team spirit, team photos, two Mustang logos, a mustang acronym and a brand new trophy case area. This project is a proposal to bring motivation into our team locker rooms, and athletic center for the athletes participating within each season’s sports. It shall encourage people to get active and inspire them to participate as an athlete. During the school year of 2019-2020 our group collaborated to make sure each sport is represented and included in the Athletic Hallway. We hosted an assembly that resembles the student athlete body as a whole on December 9th. The goal of Activating the Athletics is to uplift the spirit in the locker rooms for our underpressure student athletes that go through the practice process everyday and sometimes intense game days. Lets work as a team and show everyone what it truly means to be a member of Stang Gang!
English Learners Give Back Program
The English Learners Give Back Program, or the EL Give Back program, is currently running in its third year. The student-run project, led by Nischal, Tien, Emmauela, Hetvi, and Khushdeep, seeks to provide informational videos for incoming EL students. The videos were uploaded to the EL Give Back website and its YouTube Channel. The videos were uploaded in English, Portuguese, Spanish, Haitian-Creole, Arabic, Mandarin, Vietnamese and this year, Hindi will also be added. In addition, the project also highlighted the difficulties and problems EL students face when they first arrive in the United States. Overall, the goal of the EL Give Back Project is to provide meaningful resources for EL students on how to perform tasks and navigate Medford High School. The videos can be accessed at https://elgiveback.weebly.com/
The Party Hour of Inclusion!
Our CCSR project was focused on the inclusion of students in Medford High School with disabilities. Inclusion deals with joining students with disabilities and simply talking and getting to know them better from both an academic and personal viewpoint. During these class periods, we went to their classroom, came up with activity plans, and used those activity plans to get to know our new friends better. We gained an understanding of those around us, and by doing this project, we hope people will recognize that these students are just as nice, funny, and smart as your friends. We hope everyone will be able to greet these students on a first name basis, and not have fear of what they might say in return, because even a simple “hello” can go a long way! Our CCSR project was focused on the inclusion of students in Medford High School with disabilities. Inclusion deals with joining students with disabilities and simply talking and getting to know them better from both an academic and personal viewpoint. During these class periods, we went to their classroom, came up with activity plans, and used those activity plans to get to know our new friends better. We gained an understanding of those around us, and by doing this project, we hope people will recognize that these students are just as nice, funny, and smart as your friends. We hope everyone will be able to greet these students on a first name basis, and not have fear of what they might say in return, because even a simple “hello” can go a long way! Our CCSR project was focused on the inclusion of students in Medford High School with disabilities. Inclusion deals with joining students with disabilities and simply talking and getting to know them better from both an academic and personal viewpoint. During these class periods, we went to their classroom, came up with activity plans, and used those activity plans to get to know our new friends better. We gained an understanding of those around us, and by doing this project, we hope people will recognize that these students are just as nice, funny, and smart as your friends. We hope everyone will be able to greet these students on a first name basis, and not have fear of what they might say in return, because even a simple “hello” can go a long way!
Volleyball for Hope
For our project, we ran a volleyball game for students grades 6-8 from the Andrews Middle School and the McGlynn Middle School. Students were on a team with their teachers and played against the opposite school. It was entertaining to watch and made a great memory for 8th graders leaving middle. This was also a great practice for any students hoping to make the volleyball team in high school. Overall, this was a fun and memorable night for both students and teachers. All proceeds went to Prevent Child Abuse America, an inspiring organization in need of more donations.
Common Ground
Common Ground is a reversed inclusion classroom that allows high school students to form connections within The Access Program, a program that works with Medford High School students with significant disabilities. The goal was to incorporate students in Common Ground within classrooms and activities to feel included within the MHS community. Emily McDaid, Jacqueline Madigan, and Ava Heinegg worked alongside Ms. Andre to create an environment in which the students could participate and feel welcome. By working together doing team building activities, they implemented a more inclusive environment that will outlast their time at Medford High School.
ADHD Awareness
Every year there are students who want to take an AP or honors course but feel as though they cannot due to their learning disability. ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is one of the most common disabilities and kids who have ADHD tend to also have other learning impairments, such as dyslexia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia. Most often when ADHD is discussed, it is looked at as if it is only hyperactive kids who do not want to work. When side effects are brought up, you only see the problems with math or reading, never with writing which is only seen as a common problem anyone could have. We enlightened teachers and helped students to understand what ADHD is through informative videos and a club/elective.
Community Concert
Community Concert was a CCSR project that focused on using music to improve the community. We went to local centers that are often neglected by the community, such as facilities for the elderly and sick, to play some music and brighten someone's day. By bringing music into forgotten places, we helped make some of Medford's citizens feel special and valued. We hope that the music will bring some joy to those who hear it, and bring something special to the community.
Spikeball Tournament Against Child Abuse
Our project was a Spikeball tournament Against Child Abuse! Spikeball is a 2 vs 2 game where the objective is to spike the ball into a small trampoline so it can ricochet to the enemy. Players had three hits to coordinate and hit the ball off of the trampoline. If your team or the enemy’s team misses the ball, you or the opposing team gets a point. This sport has a striking resemblance to volleyball, but unlike volleyball this sport has no boundaries adding an extra layer of challenge and fun. All proceeds went to help the fight against child abuse. There was a prize for the most donated and another prize for the winners.
School Supplies Drive
School Supplies Drive is a project that focuses on raising funds and collecting donations of school supplies in order to help out the teachers at Medford High School. Four sophomores at Medford High School, Liza Lopes, Christina Zheng, Juliana Melo, and Cailee McCray, created surveys in order to understand the specific needs of teachers at Medford High School and collected supplies that will benefit them. Frequently, teachers have to pay for school supplies with their own money and do not get reimbursed for the supplies that they buy for their students. This project brought some financial relief to teachers and accommodate the needs of individual classrooms. It is our mission to make our school a better place.
The No One Fights Alone Campaign
“The No One Fights Alone Campaign” is dedicated to raising awareness and money for cancer research. The inspiration behind this project is that everyone around us may be affected by cancer in some way and it is important to remember that our community is always here for each other. To show support for this project and the CCSR, purple bracelets were sold with “no one fights alone” written on them (all proceeds were donated to Dana Farber Cancer Institute). In addition, a Cancer Awareness Week was held later in the year. This was a time that students were encouraged to wear the ribbon color of a type of cancer that is recognized that day. The goal of this project is to remind our community that no one fights alone!
Networking Workshops
As we become adults, our connections we make with people become critical to achieving our goals. Technology can sometimes be a barrier to networking and making connections essential to propelling your career. Every other half day of the month (Wednesday), we invited a panel of professionals from various fields to speak about how to use connections to achieve our goals and become better networkers.
The Outdoor Classroom
We are juniors at Medford High School. Our goal for this project was to complete the outdoor classroom that we began creating last year and make it a lively and usable classroom space. In order for this to happen we added artwork created from recycled material and overall improving the look of the space in order to allow it to be visually appealing enough for the use of teachers to teach their classes in. We began a “trial period” in which teachers can reserve the classroom and later provided suggestions and comments on how they enjoyed using it as a learning tool for their class. We organized and maintained the classroom throughout the year. We are immensely proud of the progress we have made on our project, and we can’t wait to see the outdoor classroom being used for the future school years to come!
School Supply Donations
This year, we noticed a big problem facing both students and teachers alike: school supply expenses. School supplies are an important investment, but they are often expensive. In addition, teachers often have to spend money from their own pockets to pay for supplies for the class. To help combat this issue, we have decided to raise funds to buy a set of supplies for every teacher and staff member in the school. Any remaining funds or supplies will be donated to the Hope Chest.
Park Clean-Up
Earth Day is an annual event recognized around the world on April 22 to help show support for environmental protection. However, my partner and I understood that it was nearly seven months away. Therefore we refused to wait long and we decided that for us to make a difference we would need to perform an action immediately. Environmental awareness means being aware and cautious of the environment and making choices that benefit the earth. It encourages a sense of bond to the natural world. This year as our project we decided to clean up the park. The purpose of cleaning up the park is to help the environment, give back, and send a simple message to the world. We can all make a difference if we put our differences aside and work toward a common goal.
Mustang Way Assembly
We hosted a Mustang Way Assembly for the new 6th graders. We had middle school and high school students share their stories about what the Mustang Way means to them. This assembly took place on November 6, 2019. High school students and 8th graders shared the importance of ACE, the Mustang Way and how it is applied to school and our everyday lives.
Humans of Medford
Humans of Medford is a photography project run by senior Frances Flood but created by MHS graduate Molly Stroud in 2016. The page’s goal is to bring together the community by recognizing teachers, business owners, students, and residents by posting a photo of them on Instagram with a short excerpt from each person. It was originally inspired by Brandon Stanton’s Humans of New York where he had his own photography project of photographing strangers on the streets of NY. It shares the stories and lives from Medford in each post on Instagram. Give it a follow! @humansofmedford
Heemo’s Tree
I’m a sophomore at MHS and I recently joined the CCSR. When I was at the McGlynn elementary school in the fourth grade a classmate and friend of mine lost his life due to cancer. A tree was planted in his memory but unfortunately it never bloomed. I raised money to replace this tree and planted flowers in his memory. I purchased another tree, planted it in Medford, and dedicated it to everyone who has lost a loved one to cancer.
Fundraising for AP Students
This year, our project focuses on fundraising to help support students in AP classes financially. AP tests are very expensive, and we do not want any student to not have the opportunity to take an AP test, and possibly earn college credit, because they are unable to pay for it. With the fundraisers we had this year, we gave back to some of the students and lessen the stress of paying for AP tests.
Diversity Week
Diversity Week is a school-wide event where diversity and different cultures are recognized and celebrated. For each day of the week, diversity-related activities are organized and all students and faculty can take part. The aim of Diversity Week is to encourage acceptance and appreciation of different cultures through interaction, discussion, and collaboration. In past years, Diversity Week has included screenings of movies featuring other cultures, panels from the GSA and other community groups, and Diversity Dress Up day, when everyone is encouraged to wear clothing that they feel is representative of them and their background. Diversity Week has also featured the World Cafe in conjunction with Interact Club, where students can discuss world issues. In addition, Diversity Week incorporates an annual Community Fair, in which students can meet community organizations and school clubs and get more involved in the community. Hopefully, Diversity Week can help make students better community members and world citizens.
Fine-ally Fine-Tuning the Fine Arts Building
The fine arts building has been quite shabby for some time now, and it is our mission to breathe new life into it. From the old smell and the grimy and dingy interiors, there is a lot to be desired in a place of art and creativity. We figured that due to how the arts typically gets viewed by the school administration, we had to step in and do something ourselves to make the environment welcoming and, at the very least, suitable for students. We replaced the rubber lining between the walls and floors, repainted to add some life as well as hopefully introduce some cool new art, touched up the messy door paint, and dealt with the more defective music stands so that playing on them is more bearable. We fundraised and gratefully accepted donations for the paint and supplies. We got as much help and input that we can get from students and staff members like Ms. Van Aken, Mr. Szykniej and many of the fine art teachers to create an environment that is both beautiful and enjoyable. By sprouting new life into it, perhaps we can kindle more people’s interest in the arts and more people will be able to recognize its value. Either way, we ourselves just want to show our passion, respect, and gratitude for the arts and its teachers through this project.
Composting in MHS Cafeterias
Our project aims to benefit the community of Medford by implementing a pilot composting program in the MHS cafeterias. We developed signs and other educational materials to promote this zero waste initiative before it officially starts. We worked with Food Services, Buildings and Grounds, and other administrators to encourage the creation of a long-lasting and sustainable program in the future. We also conducted a survey on the resources of the high school (number of dishwashers, recycling bins, etc). We visited other local schools to see how composting programs have succeeded at their locations. Last year, we received a $2500 grant from the Captain Planet Foundation to pay for bins, compostable bags, signage, and curbside pickups for our pilot program. We connected with enthusiastic students and faculty to foster success at MHS. Our project not only will make the school itself more eco-friendly, but will also encourage all participants to be more environmentally aware.
Closing the Age Gap
For our CCSR Project, we want to close the gap between the young and the elderly. This project has a close connection to us because Theodora, on the left, works and volunteers at a nursing home. Vicki, on the right, volunteers with children of special needs, and Rachell, in the middle, in her free time volunteers as well. In order to do so, we created crafts for the children to make and then the three of us delivered them to the elderly. We know that they deeply appreciated the crafts and cards, especially during the holiday season and cherished them. We also sold the crafts/cards to enrich the community. A simple gift with a little care and love cago a long way.
Bringing Music to Elementary After-School
Music has always been a huge part of my life. Because of my love and excitement around music, I am interested in bringing to the attention of young kids that same joy. Through fun sing-along songs and activities, I got kids interested and interacting with music. Once a week, I took my music class to a different elementary after-school program, including the Brooks, Columbus, McGlynn, and Roberts. Wielding my guitar, ukulele, and a handful of egg-shakers performed for the students! The songs were mostly aimed at some of the younger grades, talking about colors and numbers. These activities lasted less than 30 minutes, and fit into the programs’ schedules as best as possible.
Beautification of Medford High Chorus
The beautification of the Medford High School chorus is a student led project to gain an appreciation for the chorus. As members and presidents of the chorus, Lily and Cadyn wanted to beautify the room to gain new members and create a place where people would want to come sing, meet new friends, and enjoy spending time with people who had similar interests as them. They participated in this year's Activity Fair to bring new members into the chorus and held after school rehearsals on Wednesdays to bring all members together. They also spent time cleaning the chorus room to create a space where people enjoy going after school each week. Their hopes for this project are to improve the MHS chorus all together, by starting with small actions and eventually building on them.
Apple of My Eyes Pies
CCSR project Apple Of My eyes pies has the goal of putting a smile on the faces of people going through hardships. This project included juniors Nouha Elyazidi and Sarah Carroll baking pies and donating them to a local shelter three times a year. Pies were donated during Thanksgiving, the Holidays, and Easter times. The goal of this project is to provide people who are going through a rough time in their life a sweet surprise and hopefully put a smile on their faces!
Adopt Don’t Shop
For our project, we would like to bring awareness to all the good that rescues do for their animals. We don’t want to bash pet stores for their wrong actions, but rather talk about the better alternative to supporting these chain pet stores, which is adopting. When you adopt an animal, you are not only saving that one, but also buying other animals food or getting them into the rescue in the first place. Last year, we made a video of us donating toys to The Animal Rescue League of Boston. This year we continued donating and held a fundraiser for anyone that wants to donate dog treats and/or toys. We brought these toys along to the rescue. We also wanted to focus on making it more accessible for anyone interested in adopting. We offered phone numbers got people in touch with the rescue. Not only were there dogs, but cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, along with many other small animals. Our goal was to try to bring some positivity to these animals lives, even if it is one animal at a time.
Together We Are One
The “Together we are equal” project created a beautiful mural that symbolizes diversity in our school. The students Destiny, Leticia, Nicole, and Sherby have designed and worked on this project together as a team. The mural is on the wall at the West Courtyard of the school. There, people can see what Medford is all about and how diverse and united we are.
Problem Solving Wheel
When we were coming up with ideas for community service projects, we noticed that students at the elementary school level faced a big dilemma: they couldn’t resolve conflict. We wanted to fix this problem by painting a problem solving wheel at the McGlynn Elementary School playground. This wheel contains options and strategies that students could use to resolve their conflicts. We think that this will be a valuable resource to the children of the McGlynn Elementary School.
Diversity Celebration Day
Momeena Zayma, Prabidhi Rana, Dorotea Belotte, and David Mei’s mission was to create a space where everyone is welcomed and where our diversity is celebrated. The group hosted a festival in the city of Medford that featured multiple cultural performances and food vendors, local organizations, and interactive activities.
Medford Girls’ Soccer Outreach
For our project, we recruited high-school bound female athletes to play in the Medford High School Girls’ Soccer Program. We attended U-14 soccer practices and shared our positive experiences as parts of the program. We also provided helpful information in terms of joining the program and succeeding in it. We feel we had a positive impact on the girls and we gave them insight into the program that we wish we had when we were their age. Hopefully, our efforts will increase the participation in sports among girls at Medford High.
One Smile Away & Memory Board
The “One Smile Away” campaign was a huge success last year, through collecting over 100 compliments from students around the school. The compliments were collected via a google forum and anonymously posted on the board outside of the library. This year, Justin and Brandon also plan to add a memory board containing quotes from people’s holidays, sharing what they have done on that holiday. Together, each project helps to spread positive messages and recognize lesser known holidays.
The Artsy Paper Project
What we wanted to do with this project is actually recycle paper for students to use. In school, so much paper is used rather excessively for assignments and tests and quizzes and then it is just recycled at the end of the quarter or year without a second thought. Only one third of recycled items are actually recycled. What if all of Medford High’s recycled paper was recycled for students to use immediately? There is a simple way to make paper that uses only a few simple materials. We want to bring students together make new paper; instead of “recycling” paper in bins and hoping it is recycled, why don’t we make it ourselves? We also did most of the paper making outside, in the courtyard or inner courtyard for example. It spread more awareness to students of how they are making an impact. And the outdoors always leaves us with a smile! In addition, this was just a crafty activity for students to do for fun; they can be as creative as they want, chat with their friends, have free paper to take notes on, with the awesome addition of reusing/repurposing!
Black Pride Project
Our CCSR project is based on black pride. We had a Black History Month dance and an assembly. Our hope was to teach Medford High School students and faculty more than what is mainly taught in school, like racism and slavery. We focused on teaching the Medford High School community about the struggles AND triumphs.
Baked Goods Sale and Raffle for Hurricane Relief
For our project, we organized a bake sale. We are raised money for hurricane relief in the Bahamas, as Hurricane Dorian impacted many lives and left many people without food, shelter, or access to freshwater.We contacted the Culinary Shop in the Vocational School and requested their assistance in the making of the desserts we will sell in this project. The food we made was simple baked goods that we could make in large amounts. The food was Caribbean-themed, representing the country and region we were raising money for.
Symphonies for Students
Our project aimed to implement an inclusive music program for differently abled students who were beginner musicians, for which we peer mentored during 6th period music class throughout the year. New musicians learned beginner pieces on keyboard to practice and play along with peer mentors who could accompany in two or three part arrangements towards group music making.
EMAK (Education Made Accessible for Kids)
For the past ten years, Shruti and I have had the opportunity to attend public school every day to receive an education. There are many children, however, who do not have this privilege due to various factors such as location, money, etc. By organizing a fundraiser called Kit Kat for Kids in Medford and through donations such as money, books, pencils, and other materials, we made education a little more accessible by donating their efforts to schools around the world, making sure that the children are able to receive the same opportunity as we do.
Medford High Fashion Flow
We came up with the idea of presenting a fashion show. This fashion show was intended to not only bring something new and entertaining to MHS, but to broadcast student’s culture and sense of style. This fashion show raised money for the junior prom. We hoped this would bring different students together to promote each other’s ideas, and we believe it was very successful in doing so. Presenting this can shows how Medford High’s students can come together to embrace one another and have fun while doing so. This was an enjoyable experience for many.
Resources for Rosie’s
I am a junior at Medford High School and a proud member of the CCSR! For my project I hosted a supplies drive for clothing and basic household items like bath towels, books, mugs, bras, and more that are much needed items for Rosie’s Place, a women's shelter located in Boston. They are an amazing organization started in 1974 which I am coming to know better through volunteering with them! Everyday, their mission is to provide a safe and supportive environment to help homeless women and families regain their confidence in order to find security and stability in the new chapters of their lives that lie ahead. The homeless community is something that I am very passionate in advocating for, and this project is a small step to provide help for a much deserved organization!
Electric Cars In Medford
After the success of an electric car charger being installed in Medford last year, we took this year to complete all the bells and whistles left in our project, like getting a plaque to acknowledge our sponsors and thank National Grid. Besides this we also attended the National Grid Energy Summit, a massive honor provided to us by National Grid.
Cleaning the Mystic
We are very fortunate to live among such a great river next to our beautiful town of Medford. However, it is easy to see that it is very polluted. Shouldn’t the beauty of Medford be reflected upon the cleanliness of the river? That is why our group has cleaned it along with the surrounding area and parks in order to enrich the possible enjoyment for everyone visiting. We all were very excited to assist in something that was long overdue for a town that began with ship building.
The Mustang Way Assembly
We participated in the Mustang Way Assembly at both the Andrews and McGlynn Middle Schools. We wrote speeches about what the Mustang Way means to us and how we apply it in our everyday lives. We spoke on what it means on and off the field, in school and in extracurriculars. The Mustang Way exemplifies kindness, leadership, and ACE(attitude, concentration, excellence). Each student embodies this practice when helping a peer with homework or picking up a friend’s books when they drop them. This practice allows for a connected and sincere community where everyone feels welcome. The Mustang Way was presented to the 6th graders to demonstrate the principle set of values of both schools.
Let’s Get Ready for High School
High school is very different than middle school to prepare the eighth graders we went down to the middle schools with some volunteers and hosted a panel discussion. The high schoolers answered the students questions to their ability on the panel and talked about all the opportunities to get involved such as sports clubs, etc. Then they split into groups to interact with them and answer any other questions they were afraid to ask in front of a large group. This took place during the students WIN block so no classes were missed. By doing this we hope students will feel less anxious about coming to a bigger school and will get involved.
Medford Environmental Project
Our project focused on the major environmental changes seen in Medford in the past 50 years. We informed people about how these changes could be either beneficial or harmful for years to come. The project combined information from both first and second hand sources. This information is essential to understand because other surrounding cities could get a few tips and pointers and lean towards using our environmental changes. Our final outcome was presented in City Hall in front of the Mayor and other important people in Medford. Our hope is to instill a spirit of environmental activism that transcends generations.
The World Cafe
For my project, I organized the World Cafe. The World Cafe took place in late February around the 28th to 29th. This event was for community members, educators, highschool students, parents, and anyone else who was willing to participate. At this workshop there were tables set up, each with a student administrator and a group of community members. The student administrators each had a list of questions revolving around diversity and inclusion within the city of Medford as well as what these terms mean to them. Their answers were recorded and used to make positive changes in Medford. There was food provided, and this event served as a chance to integrate generation and people with different perspectives to help each community member understand the other’s view point.
Tech Time
A couple of years ago former CCSR members Megan and Sandra established Tech Time. This year we will carry on the legacy of this successful project. Every half-day once a month we visited a senior center. At the senior center, we taught the elderly how to use their electronic devices, instructing them on simple things such as how to take a picture or sending an email.
MHS Spirit Week
Mallika Limose and Shruti Sood want to bring Spirit Week and the spirit assembly back to Medford High School. Our freshman year was the first year the spirit assembly did not take place and through the past few years, we have noticed a decline in school spirit. Our goal is to have Spirit Week after April break. With AP testing, the MCAS, and SATs coming up this spring, we want students to have a sense of enjoyment and relaxation before this rigorous studying period. We hope that this Spirit Week will act as a catalyst for school spirit in the years to come.
Cleaning Up McDonald Park
Ricky and I recently started cross-country, and when we had our first cross-country meet, we realized that the park we were running in was very messy, with litter everywhere and it was just not a good place to run. When we joined CCSR, we found that it was the perfect opportunity to clean up the place we run in. After I found out that my friend Capland was looking for a project to work on, I invited him to work with us. We think that this project will really help the park become more enjoyable, and hopefully we can inspire more people to help clean parks as well.
The Book Box Project
Our group set up a book donation box outside Medford High School, similar to the ones that used to be set up outside the Andrews. Our goal is for books that have been donated by Medford residents to be given a new home (i.e public or school library) depending on the maturity level of the book. For example, if a student no longer needs a book that was required for school, he or she could put it in the donation box. The next time that my group sorts through the books in the box, we would donate it to the appropriate library in Medford so that others in lower grades who need it may enjoy it as well.
Medford Styrofoam Ban
Styrofoam is an incredibly harmful material, not only to the workers who produce it, but it poses a danger to our students and the environment as well. It does not biodegrade, and it ends up polluting our oceans and tainting our seafood. It also poses a humanitarian crisis, by making the factory workers who produce it extremely sick, as well as posing a threat of styrene poisoning by putting hot food on it. For my project, I hope to not just ban styrofoam in Medford High, but extend my project further. Many people are unaware of styrofoam’s threats, or simply do not care to fix this issue, and I hope by raising awareness and gaining support, I will be able to implement a Medford city-wide styrofoam ban.
Kitty Connection Treats and Drive
August Bengtson did a drive for cleaning supplies, blankets, and toys for a local animal rescue, based in Medford, called Kitty Connection. He also baked some healthy dog and cat treats for these adorable animals in need. Kitty Connection not only saves cats, as the name suggests, but also dogs. They are a non-profit and all-volunteer organization. Many people only think of food when it comes to donating to a rescue. In fact, most shelters need much more than just food, but cleaning supplies, blankets, toys, and much more. In the future, the drive will most likely be held over a week or so in order to collect an abundance of supplies to assist these wonderful volunteers!
Homeless Helpline
We hoped to be an outlet to the homeless by providing them with basic necessities that they cannot afford on their own. In order to help the homeless we made care packages that contained most items that we take for granted in our lives. We hosted a bake sale with cookies that were handmade by us to gain the money to buy the items. We sold hot chocolate along side the cookies. Once we had a sufficient amount of money we got all the items the homeless required. By then we had already been in contact with a homeless shelter that sought out donations. We wanted to make Medford’s Homeless people’s situation feel more comfortable and welcome.
Jazzing Up Café Electra
For Marya Abulfaraj, Cadee Stefani, Kieran Adams, Gus Tringale, Nick Hollings, Ebyan Abshir, and Rachel Dakermanji’s project, thier group came together to paint Café Electra. Ever since the opening of Bistro 489, Café Electra has mostly been forgotten about. They livened up the room by painting a mural on all four walls with the guiding theme of street art. The finished room’s main purpose was to provide a quiet space for students during lunch who may feel overwhelmed in the cafeterias. With a vibrant mural, they hope to beautify this space to create a relaxed environment for all MHS students who want to take a break from the stress of school.
Mural Me This, Mural Me That
For Juliana Melo’s CCSR project, she painted a mural based on the riddles and parables in famous literature. She took all of these riddles and tried to imagine them as paintings. She loves art and this is an accomplishment she has wanted to achieve for a while. The mural is located in Ms. Giordano’s room, C223.
Helping out at the McGlynn CCSR
For their CCSR project this year, Josh Klein and Matteo D'Aveta helped out at the McGlynn Elementary CCSR. They attended meetings every Tuesday and helped the instructors keep the students on task and focused on their projects. They also helped the students to figure out what they wanted to do for their projects and then assisted them in achieving their goals for their projects. The students’ projects this year included making pet beds for local animal shelters, writing jokes to give to other students, and making and selling pencil toppers to raise money for charity.
Inspirational Quotes Project
In a word overwhelmed with measuring talent and expertise, we often fail to observe the significance behind the role of inspiration. Inspiration awakens us to new beginnings by granting us the possibility to rise above our standard experiences and limitations. Inspiration sets in motion a person from lack of interest to great potential, and over the course of time it changes the way we perceive our own capabilities. Many may fail to notice inspiration because of its evasive nature. However, throughout the existence of humanity, many have looked forward to that breeze of inspiration as something to grasp and hold onto, such as the likes of Michael Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, J.K. Rowling, and countless more. Whether it's in the sense of an inspiring story or simply just someone saying two straightforward words, these celebrities used inspiration to push them in the midst of their darkest times, and came out stronger. Hence, to continue the everlasting idea of inspiration, and urge others to keep pushing, Anderson Prince and Nishant Saini created inspirational quotes. These quotes would ultimately be displayed around the school to encourage many to not just simply be inspired, but to also be a source of inspiration.
Medford Porch Jam
For Colin Bailey’s Act of Kindness, he worked with Mr. Skorker and Ms. Fard to create “The Medford Porch Jam.” They worked together to create a musical event that featured musicians playing the song “Imagine” by John Lennon from their own homes. Each person who was a part of the event joined a Zoom call that was created to promote a sense of unity and musical welcoming. CCSR singers (students and faculty members alike) sang individual verses while playing their instruments. The goal of this project was to spread musical positivity while singing a song of hope for the future, and a song of unity that spanned across each corner of the city of Medford!
NPR Student Podcast Challenge
Stefan Langshur’s CCSR Project was entering the NPR Student Podcast Challenge. He created a podcast about defining personal success, working toward it, and eventually achieving an end goal. His aim with this project was to help others define a goal for themselves and learn to work toward that goal every day.
A Veteran s Perspective
Emma McGlynn created a video titled “A Veteran’s Perspective.” She interviewed five veterans from within the Medford community, each from a different branch of the military. Each veteran told their personal story about their experience in the United States Military, returning home, what they did after serving, and the overall impact of their experience on themselves and the community. Emma then complied their stories into a video to share with the community that honors local veterans and shares their experiences of serving.