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It was a very exciting time in the Poetry Pathway this week!! Each and every one of my students is excelling in their quality of writing, content, expansion of vocabulary through learning how to efficiently navigate a dictionary, thesaurus in conjunction with the “Bonus Vocabulary Words” list I give them every week to look up, define, find a another word that means the same thing and bonus points for actually using in their writing.  We critiqued and analyzed writings from hip hop artists Mos Def and Xavier Marquis. Going over the lyrics of other artists and the different styles of how they write really inspires our students to be themselves. We always have discussions about the content and how it relates to us all.  Through this process of thinking, discussion, and analysis of lyrics and content, students gain new tools for their own writing and become super conscious about how they represent themselves.

We have been asked to perform at the Wilder Foundation for the some U of M faculty this Friday and all the students are excited. We have really worked on practicing our songs and becoming comfortable and courageous with our work. The students of the Poetry Pathway are extremely confident about what they do even now just have the first 3 weeks!! Attendance has skyrocketed and everyone is participating in their own success daily. I also have noticed that this has lead to improved performance throughout the school day in other classes.

It has been an exciting three weeks for my students. I eagerly look forward to what our next 3 weeks brings.

Here is an example of some of the things being expressed and written:

Dear father

I can never say it enough

I really hate to bother with all these questions and stuff

but I’d like to know why everyone I love is taken away in shackles and cuffs?

I look in the sky ask God why I hear no reply

and start to cry, defend my emotions with lies

I look inside myself

Father, can you hear me screaming for help?

and I’ve wondered so far the mental stress is rippin me apart

It hurts

This is the truth pouring from my heart

It’s hard dealing with heart wounds and mental scars

I say this is my mission and I see no need for competition

My behaviors switching around

I’m not as crazy as I sound

My pulse pounds so loud like sony surround sounds

I’m wearin a mask that smiles and behind it hides a frown

Now I don’t know if I’m allowed to say, but Dad

I hope I make you proud of me someday.

~ A

We are lucky enough to have our local W. 7th Neighborhood Newspaper paying attention to our work at The LAB @ Journeys Secondary School.  In March, they wrote a very positive and strong piece about what is happening at The LAB thus far.

Here is the link to the article.  Enjoy!

http://www.communityreporter.org/SCHOOL180#journeys

We are approaching the end of our first week of  The LAB Pathways and we’re very excited about the new kinds of opportunities it will provide students this quarter.

Each afternoon, students participate in one of the following three Pathways:  The Poetry LAB/Performance Pathway, The  Visual Art LAB Pathway and The Wellness LAB/Gardening Pathway.

Each Pathway is designed to help students develop healthy coping strategies, collaboration/communication skills, and critical creative thinking. Students are guided through three major themes of Self/Identity Formation, Community Building, and Social Change.

In the Visual Art LAB, art becomes a tool for personal and collective transformation. As we say in our group, “Everyone is an artist and everyone is welcome.”  and ”Creativity is merely thinking something in your head or feeling something in your heart and making it reality.   This creativity can come through and result in a painting, a poem, a better reality in school, at home or in the neighborhood.”  The point is to use your personal creative power to create the life you want.  Art can be a vehicle for this change.

This week we’ve been working on self portraits, identity diagrams, expressionist painting and ceramics.  What you see here are some samples of student work.

As this first week comes to a close, here are some student comments about their experiences in the Pathways:

“I dunno, art just makes me feel good and calms me down.” -C

“This class is cool, I didn’t even think about going truant today because I wanted to be here.” -V

“Actually, I am thankful to be in this school because in most schools, I wouldn’t be able to be in a class like this”. K

At each Pathway, students do a “check in & and check out”, letting us know how they are feeling about being in the Pathway a the beginning of the group and at the end of the group.  The scale is a 1-10 scale, 10 being “very good!”  Several students in the Poetry LAB Pathway have offered the following check ins & check outs:

“I’m checking in at a 20,000″

“I’m checking out at infinity!”

This week in The Wellness LAB Pathway students have explored a variety of ways to be healthy in mind, body and spirit.  This week, students experienced several activities to add to their toolbox of ways to keep themselves mentally and physically healthy and well. The list of experiential wellness activities over the course of the quarter will include such things such as:  fitness activities, mindfulness and meditation, planting a community garden, learning about nutrition and cooking and animal assisted education with therapy dogs.

On Monday, students planted several seeds. Over the next 9 weeks, students will take care of these seedlings and track their growth until they eventually transplant them outside in our new school garden later this month.  Student will work with a team from Home Depot to design, build and plant our Journeys Community  Garden this spring as a part of the Wellness Pathway.

On Tuesday, students had the chance to participate in AnimalAssisted Education with Ms. Michelle and her three pups, Ranger, Luna and Dusty. The group talked about responsible pet ownership and how petting a dog can be so calming and can actually lower our blood pressure!

 

On Wednesday, we did Bike Spinning and “Spartacus” workout in the gym and are learning what their target heart rate during exercise is and how they can measure that. After that, students dissected a bean seed with Ms. Megan and learned what all of the parts of a seed are and how they contribute to the plant’s growth. They also learned about the other factors that contribute to solid plant growth. At the end of class, they began several experiments based on the things they learned to see if the hypothesis they made would actually happen.

On Thursday, students prepared a meal of tacos and smoothies to share as a group. They also discussed the culture of food and how it influences their lives and the lives of those around them.

Today (Friday), we will be doing Improv theater games, and talking about self-expression.  

This week, The Poetry LAB Pathway has launched with amazing energy.  These students all took great risks, showed immense courage and wrote some really beautiful and real pieces. We kicked off the week with a performance for all of the students by Desdamona, a local spoken word artist and musician, and our own Noah B, and Glo.  Check out this link (click here) to read about our very own Glo, our Creative Arts Specialist who is leading our Poetry LAB Pathway.  He was featured in the Metro Magazine in April.  Learn more about Desdamona at the following link (click here).  Each of these performers showed our youth the power of performance, and pieces that tell an honest and deep story, all in a creative and exciting way.  Each of these performers are  inspirations to our students that finding our talents has great pay offs.

When you think of writing in the sense of poetry and/or rapping, it’s real easy to just look at it as something fun to do, a nice hobby; it’s entertainment aspect. What is often neglected by the listener is the absolute release the poet / performer gets from being able to sit down with themselves, and if they are willing, really tell their story. Share their feelings. Expose their lives; the good and bad.  This is what The Poetry LAB is all about — self expression that serves the emotional health and sense of pride for our youth.

Here is one of the written pieces we wanted to share with you….

It’s hard out here trying to make a dime
Walking these streets, gun sounds going through my mind
I’ve been shot before but I ain’t really mind
because my brother and my sister was always on my mind
I stay away from jail and coffins
and I’m at peace.

~ D

What you are about to hear is a sample of just SOME of what was recorded in our studio. This is our first recording and there is so much more they want to do with this song but if you listen, you’ll hear the sincerity and genuine relief of being able to express in a positive  way and more importantly, to be heard.

Click the arrow below to hear a recorded piece completed this week.

 

Over the past nine weeks we’ve had the privilege at The LAB of cooking and eating with four phenomenal students. Today marked the end of our journey as a group with an awesome field trip to St. Paul College’s Culinary Arts program. Over the past nine weeks students have learned valuable skills for life on their own which could also propel them into exciting careers in the culinary arts and hospitality. Some of the dishes prepared by students were pizza, pasta, vietnamese spring rolls, tacos, caesar salad and apple pie! On behalf of all of us who benefitted from these students and the delicious creations they made, we’d like to say a huge thank you and congratulations on all your hard work!

We here at The LAB would like to say a huge congratulations to all of our incredible students who shared their unique gifts and talents at yesterday’s showcase. Here is a small video sampling of what’s been going on here in the past few weeks. Have a great spring break everybody!

When I started my work at The LAB I did not know how to facilitate one-on-mentorships or group experiences with high school students.  Now, six months into my experience, I feel more capable of leading student groups and supporting the students I mentor.

I also feel like I still have much to learn about making group and mentorship experiences the most they can be for the students.  Letting go of my ego, being a humble and receptive learner, and stepping out of my comfort-zone are some of my present goals at The LAB.

The thing I have taken away most from my experience at The LAB are the incredible stories of resilience from the students I work with.  The LAB is a place where students can be safe, free, and empowered to be their best selves.  I am grateful I can have a small part in this work.

The LAB is excited for spring because we have established a partnership with Walker West Music Academy, specifically to have William Duncan come to teach piano lessons to our students.

Here is a link to Walker West to learn more about this great music school:  http://www.walkerwestmusicacademy.org/HOME_.html

We are fundraising this effort via Donors Choose, and hope to (need to) raise the money by April 6th, so that we can offer this opportunity 4th quarter.

Here is the donors choose link: http://www.donorschoose.org/donors/proposal.html?id=758847&sharebar=true&utm_source=dc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=proposal_approve#materials

Please, can you help us fundraise for this project?  Spread the word and give a small something as you are able!

and, of course…..Please share this link  widely!

Onward.
Let’s Make Some Noise!

Listen up! At any given time, The LAB plays host to a variety of mentorships where passionate and skilled volunteers and guest artists work one on one with our gifted and talented students.

The following reflection and radio interview is from our VISTA Jason Rodney and his mentorship with one of these students: 

This young man and I have worked together since October, doing photography, video production, and now radio interviews! Our mentorship gives us a moment each week to learn from whatever else is going on in our lives – whether it’s good relationships developing at home, or a frustrating experience that morning.  We are learning from each other about how to be the people we want to be.

At the same time, we’re using technology to create something original, and gaining confidence every step of the way.  Even for the most outgoing people, it takes courage to record something and share it with your peers.  So I’m very proud of this young man for putting his voice in the world.

Enjoy this interview with Glo, a mentor to us both, and a role model of how confidence paired with compassion can change the world.

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