CFHS students showcase experiential learning

CLARK FORK — For Elena Perez, the new arts and culture track at Clark Fork High School was the perfect choice.

The CFHS junior is visiting from Spain for the duration of the school year, learning all about American culture.

“I really like it so far — this high school and all the tracks that we are doing … I am having a very awesome experience,” Perez said.

Perez and her classmate, Madison Hewitt, were showcasing what they had learned throughout their semester in the arts and culture track during the school’s experiential learning track showcase on Jan. 18.

“This is the third year of the showcase program, and it gets better every year,” said English teacher and event organizer Rebecca Palmer. “We really focused this year on providing kids with the lessons and tools to create more professional-looking tri-fold presentations and professional manners when greeting community members. We want everyone to feel welcome at our school, and our kids are our best representatives.”

While it is the third year of the showcase, experiential learning started at CFHS four years ago and has continued to grow and evolve.

“Our tracks do so many cool things from auto mechanics to animal behavioral science to art exploration,” Palmer said. “The neat thing is that with the exception of the independent track, the other tracks change from year to year based on student and staff interest.”

The arts and culture track, led by Jill Angle and Ezra Stafford, is one of several new experiential learning tracks this year at CFHS. The seventh graders have their own track this year led by Heather Cook, where they are exploring a variety of activities, mostly outdoor-related, Palmer said. The parks and rec track, led by KC MacDonald is new this year, as are the animal science/wilderness track led by Becky Haag, and the business track led by Kyle Olmstead and Mark Griffith. Returning tracks this year include the auto tech track led by Martin Jones, and the independent track led by Palmer.

Perez said one of the things the arts and culture group did, which was one focus of duo’s presentation, was go to Spokane to see the Broadway show, “Finding Neverland.” Hewitt said the special effects of the show were “breathtaking,” and because a lot of the students had never seen a play like that, it was a good opportunity for them. Supported by a grant, the experience was free to the students as well, she said.

While Perez is learning about American culture, she and Hewitt also took the opportunity to learn about the Mexican culture as well, researching and celebrating Dia de los Muertos — the Day of the Dead — with the arts and culture group.

Another project the group embarked on was vision boards, Perez said, and being from Spain, she used a lot of maps and made a collage of different things from around the world. Hewitt said hers was more abstract with random things she liked.

“It was cool because all of them got to be so different, even know we were working on the same project,” Hewitt said.

CFHS junior Maddie Reuter focused her showcase presentation on the vision board, which she said was her favorite project in the arts and culture track. The things that go on the vision board are things that resonate with you, she said.

“You can continue to add onto it after you have completed it, so it’s just something that I think is really cool,” Reuter said, adding that she put hers in her room so she could add on to it.

Reuter said the arts and culture was a great learning experience and that she was grateful to be a part of it.

Eighth-grader Tre Cirrincione found his passion in the tech track, where he is building a snowbot. It will ultimately be a large remote-controlled vehicle that can plow snow, though it probably won’t be finished until the end of the school year, he said. But he is hoping to try it out next winter.

“It’s been a long process,” Cirrincione said.

CFHS junior Sara Hathaway spent the semester in the parks and rec track. There was a crafts day, she said, where they did several different things, but one that stuck with her was making cutouts with the school’s scroll saw that resembled jigsaw puzzles.

The reason for the crafts, she said, was to make Christmas presents for kids who couldn’t afford them. The gifts hadn’t been sent out yet, however, because they still needed some sanding and finishing touches so the kids wouldn’t get slivers.

“It was really fun,” Hathaway said. “I really enjoy it … It is important because it taught us not only a new skill that we could really enjoy, but also taught us how to be selfless and give to others.”

Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.