Student Life and the Cultural Diversity Awareness Club (CDAC) at National Park College (NPC) hosted students from Malvern Middle School (MMS) Monday to showcase the “We the People: Our Stories” exhibit.
For the past six years, Ms. James, an eighth grade middle school teacher at MMS, and
her students have committed their project based learning to specific themes. The goal
is to open the students up to the world, culture, and diversity that surrounds them
daily. This year’s theme focused on loyalty, bravery, hope, adversity, and equality.
In James’ class the students play a role in selecting the reading material they will
cover throughout the year. James is committed to hearing the student needs and interests
then commits herself to provide them with that education. Every student gets heard,
every student matters. James spends time contacting universities across the nation
requesting book donations for her students so each may have a copy.
The books selected cover different cultures, genders, and religion. “Books address
serious issues; books entertain millions; books educate everyone”, says Audrey Carr,
an eighth grade student in James’ class. Carr goes on to say that “the power of education
and the power of books all create the biggest superpower of all time – love. If we
were all connected, then big world problems wouldn’t be so big anymore.”
James’ goal is to give her students a voice. “They find a voice to not only speak
for themselves but to see that sometimes they can be the voice for the voiceless.”
She says voices are needed to make change, “because if we fight for what we believe
in, then what matters most will be shown to the whole world.”
