Our Wildwood, Summer 2016, Volume 39

WILDWOOD 5TH GRADERS TAP BRAVERY, PRACTICE, AND LOTS OF MODELING TO MASTER THEIR FEARS, LEAD THEIR COMMUNITY, AND PREPARE FOR SIMILAR SITUATIONS IN THEIR FUTURES.

Our Wildwood /Summer 2016 16/17

took a day to build, so I realized that I had to start building early if they were going to be ready for my presentation,” she says. Eliana also remembers the patience and flexibility that she had to tap. “Many of the kits’ instructions were confusing, and my cats kept walking all over the robot parts that I was trying to organize,” she says. “Then when the date got closer and I started practicing, I started getting really nervous.” Many of Eliana’s classmates echo her sentiments: Leading ASM is a mix of excitement and fear. “I’ve been onstage in plays before, but this was a huge leap,” says 5th grader Will W. “I’m not up there with 20 others; it’s just me and one other

They tap bravery, practice, and lots of modeling to master their fears, lead their community, and prepare for similar situations in their futures. LEANING IN The whole process of leading an All School Meeting at the elementary campus was instructive for Eliana B., who presented on robotics. “I had big plans for my ASM presentation, and I had to learn to manage my time to get ready,” Eliana says. She needed to build half a dozen robots, which she bought with her birthday money. “Each of the kits

introduce guest performers. Then each student takes on the individual component: Meet the Leaders. For several minutes, the crowd gives its undivided attention to each of the students as a way of honoring the leadership and longevity of our elementary campus’s oldest students. Public speaking can be anxiety provoking for anyone, especially novices. With the ASM leadership exercise, Wildwood 5th graders often find they are up to the challenge.