*These programs are funded through the NJEA Frederick L. Hipp Foundation for Excellence in Education.
Show #1 – Sept. 30 & Nov. 4
Kids at College – Students at Grissom Elementary in Old Bridge Township get an early glance at the possibilities of higher education when they visit Middlesex County College as part of the district’s Kids at College Program. District guidance counselors and faculty work with partner universities and colleges to cultivate a college-going culture among the student body through lessons, activities and experiential field trips to college campuses around the state.
Squan-a-Thon – At Manasquan High School, nearly 300 students take part in the "Squan-a-Thon". The event aims to raise more than $40,000 to assist children afflicted with cancer. On the surface, the event functions as a dance marathon requiring that each student stay up all night without caffeine. On a deeper level, this challenge intends to foster a sense of empathy and concern for the hardships of others among the student body.
21st Century Learners – The Jersey County Teachers of the Year are helping fellow educators and educational stakeholders explore ways to meet the needs of 21st century learners. The group conducts forums around the state on a variety of topics. One forum at Mainland Regional High School in Linwood focuses on the skills that will be critical in helping today’s students find careers in tomorrow’s workforce and explore how technology and communication play a key role.
#1 in the Nation – US News ranks High Technology High School in Lincroft the #1 high school in the nation for math and science. After evaluating student participation rates and performance on AP exams in math and science, this New Jersey school tops the nation. The students apply for admission and most of them participate in high level research projects and mentoring programs with top companies. Principal Daniel Simon says the best indicator of success is the number of students attending and graduating from the top colleges and universities and going on to impressive careers.
Show #2 Oct. 7 & Nov. 11
Music Learning Theory - Students at Rush Elementary in Cinnaminson demonstrate that there is a close parallel between the way students learn music and language. Music teacher Natalia Sigmund says the secret for success is a music learning theory developed by Dr. Edwin Gordon. Sigmund is a certified teacher trainer for the Gordon Institute of Music Learning, and she believes that student success is tied to the way they are taught music. Teachers must understand where students are in their development, and consider their skills and abilities in order to connect with them.
R Word - Words can hurt and students at Sandman Consolidated Elementary School in Lower Township learn why the R word is not appropriate – ever. The New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities visits schools to promote the elimination of the “R Word.”
Project ‘79 - It’s unusual to see an alternative school and college prep in the same program, but at Westfield High School, Project ’79 does just that. This alternative academic program succeeds in part because of the intense collaboration between a team of teachers. They work together to create interdisciplinary projects that are more interesting and relevant to the students.
Youth Movement - There are an estimated 27 million people enslaved in the world, and the students at Jefferson Township Middle School are doing something about it. The students started a movement called project Stay Gold and created a website projectstaygold.org to educate the public about the issue. The students teach their peers and younger students about the youth movement to abolish slavery.
Show #3 Oct. 14 & Nov. 18
Debate League - Arguing is encouraged and civilized heckling is rewarded for the middle school students from seven schools competing in the newly formed Garden State Debate League. Stone Bridge Middle School teachers Dee Burek and Judi Hoffman organized the debate which included a team from California. John Meany, who started the nation’s rapidly expanding Middle School Public Debate Program 11 years ago in California, has a firsthand look at the fledgling New Jersey debaters in grades six through eight. Barkalow Middle School in Freehold, won top honors.
Author’s Day – Authors, poets and illustrators work directly with sixth graders at the Township of Ocean Intermediate School (Monmouth County) during the third annual Author’s Day. About 75 children break up into groups of 10 and rotate from one professional to another. The students are given the opportunity to discuss writing and illustrating, and at the end of the day they can purchase autographed copies of the books.
Math Teach-in - Parents become students and students become teachers during the Marion P. Thomas Charter School Math Teach-in. Eighth graders reverse roles and lead math instruction for the evening. Math coach Patricia Harris uses the event to help stimulate 8th grade review for the NJASK test. Students retain information better when they teach others. Students must think of ways to get their parents to understand math concepts.
Rumpelsaurus - New Egypt Elementary School teacher Janet Popyk teams up with family, community members, parents, and about 95 students from all grade levels to put on the 12th annual musical. Taking place in both the 1950s and prehistoric times, an adventure with a glory-seeking dinosaur called Rumpelsaurus teaches moral lessons on bullying and friendship.
Show #4 Oct. 21 & Nov. 25
Hobby Day - Children in Berkeley Heights are encouraged to turn off the television and find hobbies to replace the hours of mind-numbing TV watching. Mountain Park Elementary students can chose from 40 different workshops, with topics ranging from board games to model making.
Math Bowl - How do you get children excited about math? Teacher Brian Corcoran turns math into a fun, exciting competition with his annual Math Bowl. Two teams compete against one another in a football-themed battle while members of the audience get to participate with clickers. No matter the final score, students at Uptown School Complex in Atlantic City learn to love math.
Frog Pond – When students have behavior problems, teachers at Frog Pond Elementary in Little Egg Harbor take the students to the frog pond, a successful behavior modification tool. Two years ago, the school changed its name to Frog Pond and created a pond and eco garden to give students a rich, hands-on experience with ecology. Thanks to grants from Ocean First and Pollinator Live, the school turned the pond into an outdoor classroom.
Civil War Letters - The 2012 New Jersey Teacher of the Year Jeanne M. DelColle works with her students on an after school project to transcribe civil war letters. Students at Burlington County Institute of Technology work with the Burlington County Historical Society on this history project. Some of the letters are from a local 17-year-old Civil War soldier, David Hankins, and his cousins who were serving with him. The students also make some of the letters into iMovie documentaries to help people understand the story behind the letters.
Show #5 Oct. 28 & Dec. 2
InvenTeam – High school students develop a device that provides clean drinking water for undeveloped countries like Uganda. The project is an entry into a national competition submitted by the Eastern Regional High school in Voorhees. This New Jersey school is one of 16 schools nationally to receive a grant from MIT to participate in the 2011-12 InvenTeam initiative. The initiative inspires a new generation of inventors by engaging students in creative thinking, problem-solving and hands-on learning in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. About 15 students work with Gifted and Talented Coordinator Donna Donato and AP Physics teacher Mr. Freedman to develop a device that cleans water with the use of a bike. By pedaling, two UV lights disinfect the water by killing the bacteria.
Bug Hunters - Fifth graders at Millstone River School in West Windsor-Plainsboro turn their love for bugs into an authentic field study. Regular and special education students research the population size and diversity of carrion beetles. The field study design is student generated based on entomological literature. The students enjoy bug hunting, insect identification and pinning their collections.
Change the World - Sixth grade social studies teacher Matthew Marciano encourages his students at Long Valley Middle School to change the world. Each year students are challenged to think of a way to change the world and they must make good on the promise by the end of the year. The project is based on the movie and novel Pay It Forward. The list of projects ranges from raising awareness about a variety of diseases from cancer to vascular tumors, showing kindness to seniors, the homeless or underprivileged, and honoring heroes including the military.
National History Day - Hundreds of New Jersey students participate in the state competition for National History Day hosted at William Paterson University. Classroom Close-up, NJ follows students from Community Middle School in West Windsor Plainsboro as they compete for spots at the national finals. During the competition students present their research while competing in categories that include group performance, individual performance, exhibits, websites, documentaries and research papers.
Show #6 Dec. 9 & Jan. 13
The Music of Character - Character education is a focus for fifth graders at William Woodruff Elementary School in Berkeley Heights. The students select a word of the week, write essays and present a speech to the class about their word. Their producing skills come into play when they select songs and create videos that highlight words! The student productions bring pride to the school and highlight positive messages.
More Friends Beyond Borders – Five years ago in Linden, Soehl Middle School adopted a school in the Dominican Republic. For years students, school staff and administrators have been traveling as part of a project called Friends Beyond Borders. The goal is to change the world through social justice. The trips transform the participants, with emotional stories of hope and friendship.
Watershed - With the help of ambassadors from AmeriCorp, fourth graders at Kresson Elementary School in Voorhees learn about watersheds. A creek located at the school provides the lab for surveying benthic macroinvertebrates.
Comforting Cuisine - High school students improve the quality of life for children with cancer. Bergen County Technical High School culinary students from the Teterboro Campus work with marketing students from the Hackensack Campus to create a unique food product for oncology patients at Hackensack medical center. The students are creating calorie-dense original products that taste good for children undergoing chemotherapy. The students are also working with experts from Rutgers Food Science department as well as industry executives from Pepsi to help with product development.
Show #7 Dec. 16 & Jan. 20
NJFest - Stanhope fourth graders celebrate New Jersey with NJFest. The students’ research topics align with the Social Studies New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards and transform them into projects for display and presentation to parents and community members. The students collected Garden State Parkway and NJ Turnpike tolls as admittance to the event at classroom doors, and visitors pass over the celebrity walk of fame.
Liberty, Literacy, My Ancestry and Me - Fifth graders at Olivet Elementary School in Pittsgrove Township unveil their ancestry books during a Young Writers’ Celebration. The young authors learn the role of Ellis Island and the Statute of Liberty played to millions of immigrants. Thanks to a Hipp Grant, the students visited the sites and took photos and video of their trip. They interviewed relatives, created a family tree and presented it to their class. Their stories were turned into hard-cover books.
Case of the Ruined Picnic - Fifth graders at Bartle Elementary School in Highland Park enter the world of CSI as they learn about science and chemistry by simulating a crime scene. The Forensic Science Unit combines microbiology and chemistry to help students solve the case of the ruined picnic. While learning how to use observation and documentation skills, they examine footprints, fingerprints, hair and gum samples to discover the culprit behind the mystery and solve the crime.
Saturday Morning Science - Imagine high school students producing a television show hosted by middle school students who teach elementary students fun science lessons. On top of that, the lessons are a great source for teachers and parents to learn interesting new ways to teach science. The entire Egg Harbor Township School District is involved, including parents! The show helps students understand basic science concepts and connect science to their daily lives in an entertaining way. The program also serves as turn-key professional development for teachers, with a newsletter outlining the monthly theme and a website where teachers, parents and students can access additional enrichment activities.
Show #8 Dec. 23 & Jan. 27
PMI - Math scores at Charles L. Spragg Elementary School in Egg Harbor City went from 25 to 75 percent proficient in just four years thanks to a Progressive Math Initiative (PMI). The Center for Teaching and Learning developed a course free of charge for elementary teachers to improve math scores. The educators at the urban-rural school created, shared, refined and piloted the program.
CubeSat - Middle school students from Moorestown, high school students from Burlington County Institute of Technology, college students from Drexel, and educators from around the state are participating in BLUECUBE (Build, Launch, Utilize and Educate using CubeSats), CubeSat is a type of miniaturized satellite used to perform space science and exploration. John Moore, director for Geosciences STEM Education at Palmyra Cove Nature Park, facilitates the multigenerational lessons.
Meet the McAllen’s – Educators often run in the family, but at the McAllen’s home, they are award winning educators who love their profession. John, a teacher at Point Pleasant Borough High School, went to the White House to receive a presidential award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching. His wife, a teacher at Howell High School, runs an award winning choir that has performed at Carnegie Hall. John left the corporate world, cutting his pay in half, to join his wife’s world of passion for students, passion for learning, and passion for education.
Animal Tech - The Morris County Teacher of the Year Thomas Koehler runs a four-year veterinary program at Morris County School of Technology. Students learn about the history and origin of animals, and the connection between species, pathology and about the careers involving animals.
Show #9 Dec. 30 & Feb. 3
American Revolutionary Game - Paramus High School teacher David Alloco puts students in the shoes of participants in the American Revolution through a video game he created. “Choosing Sides: the American Revolution in Bergen County” The goal is to allow students to see how the revolution impacted average citizens in the county. He created the concept for the game, drew all the characters, and designed 3D sets using Goggle SketchUp. Using video games to teach students caters to the 21st century learner.
LearnDoEarn - Roselle High School is among 400 schools in New Jersey using the program created by the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Corporate sponsors, guidance counselors, business and personal finance teachers, school-to-work coordinators, special education teachers and transition coordinators participate in the program. Roselle students will participate in “workshopititions”, which is a workshop plus competition. Students attend a series of five workshops ranging from how to set up a business, interview skills, getting to college, and workplace ethics.
School Breakfast - Breakfast after the bell makes students smarter, happier, healthier and ready to work! Students at William B. Cruise Memorial School #11 in Passaic City jump start their day with a healthy breakfast – in the classroom. The Food for Thought School Breakfast Campaign Committee set a goal of boosting participation in the breakfast program by 30 percent, which means that 40,000 more children will start the day with a nutritious breakfast. The steering committee includes the NJ Departments of Agriculture, Education and Health, the American Dairy Association and Dairy council, anti-hunger, education and health organizations and long with numerous child advocates.
R Word - Words can hurt and students at Sandman Consolidated Elementary School in Lower Township learn why the R word is not appropriate – ever. The New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities visits schools to promote the elimination of the “R Word."
Show #10 Jan. 6 & Feb. 10
Superstorm in AC - Classroom Close-up, NJ will air a special episode on the devastating impact of Hurricane Sandy on New Jersey’s public schools. We will start in Atlantic City where, for the first time in its 158-year history, Hurricane Sandy forced the cancelation of the NJEA Convention. The city was not only hit hard by the high winds and flooding, but by the economic impact of losing the city’s largest convention. The Atlantic City Convention Center each year houses thousands of educators, but this year is a shelter for thousands of hurricane victims. Across town schools that were flooded are picking up the pieces so students can return to some sense of normalcy.
Sheltering Hopatcong – Heroes come in many forms. Policemen and firemen, but in Hopatcong they are also teachers, cafeteria workers, custodians, principals – the entire school family. From the day Sandy ripped through the northern New Jersey community, the educators helped Red Cross turn the high school into a shelter. This kind of relief effort by the school family is seen in dozens of communities across the state.
Schools Surviving Sandy – Commissioner Chris Cerf explains how widespread the devastation on the educational community. From the damaged and destroyed school buildings, to the large number of schools turned into shelters, the commissioner details the destruction and how the Department of Education will help school districts cope with the aftermath.
Relocation & Restoration - Monmouth Beach Elementary School "endured significant damage" during Hurricane Sandy. The students are temporarily relocated at Shore Regional and schools in the West Long Branch School District. Wolf Hill School also serves as a temporary home for younger students. Sandy displaced many school staff members and Monmouth Beach families. This is just one of many districts facing weeks and possibly months of relocation and restoration.
Show #11 Feb. 17 & March 24
Poetry Festival 2012- The Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival, the largest poetry event in North America, returns to Newark for the 14th biennial event. Bill O-Neal and his students from Trenton Central High West Campus attend the High School Student Day. The budding poets participate in readings, attend performances, and join in the conversations with world-renowned poets.
Camp Mason - Face a challenge, build a community and respect the environment. These are the goals of nearly 200 eighth graders from Montgomery Upper Middle School during a trip to Camp Mason in Hardwick. This is the 17th year that social studies teacher Carl Cooper has been organizing this trip. The students and chaperones participate in a three day, two night camping trip. They hike, canoe, learn archery and participate in high ropes activities.
Global Exploration - Every year educators travel the world with the intent to share their life lessons with their students. With the help and guidance of Global Exploration for Educators Organization (GEEO), West Orange art teacher Lisa Schustak travels to Turkey for new and exciting projects for her classroom.
Breaking the Chain - Evan Robbins is spearheading fund-raising and consciousness-raising on the issue of human trafficking with his students at Metuchen High School. The high school students present lessons about life in developing worlds to students at Campbell Elementary School. A more hard-hitting lesson on trafficking will be presented at an assembly back at the high school.
Show #12 Feb. 24 & March 31
Interactive Herbarium - Imagine an interactive herbarium developed by high schools students that allows the public to use smart phone technology to identify a variety of plants. Marine Academy of Science and Technology students at Monmouth County Vocational School District collect indigenous plant species from various habitats of the ecosystem. The species location is recorded and mapped using a GPS system. With the aid of smart phones, the public can access a QR Code that links them to a student-designed Wiki containing detailed information.
Lessons of Sandy – Two weeks after featuring MAST at Sandy Hook, Super Storm Sandy devastated the Jersey shore. While the school buildings remained unharmed, the infrastructure at Sandy Hook was damaged to the point that the school district was forced to relocate to an empty catholic school in Keyport. Disappointed that their school and portions of their Herbarium project fell victim to the storm, the teachers and the students persevered. The search for chalk, computers and desks brought the school community, including alumni, together. The goal is to return to Sandy Hook for graduation.
Pastry Arts - To preserve and promote the craft of baking, Dawn Foods act as mentors to students at The Ocean County Vocational Technology School (Brick Center). Master bakers, technicians and a sales team conduct workshops to demonstrate the latest products and baking equipment. The goal is to give students a look into the world of work and how to master the skills needed to run a pastry business.
Case of the Ruined Picnic - Fifth graders at Bartle Elementary School in Highland Park enter the world of CSI as they learn about science and chemistry by simulating a crime scene. The Forensic Science Unit combines microbiology and chemistry to help students solve the case of the ruined picnic. While learning how to use observation and documentation skills, they examine footprints, fingerprints, hair, and gum samples to discover the culprit behind the mystery and solve the crime.
Show #13 March 3 & April 7
Girls Rock Science - An afterschool program at Hurden-Looker School in Hillside encourages and empowers females to explore the field of science. After attending the Merck Institute for Science Education Leadership Program, fourth grade teacher Cathy Crisanaz and a group of female teachers decided it was time to focus on science for girls.
Bellmawr Village Shoppe - Educators at Bell Oak Upper Elementary School in Bellmawr break down the barriers so parents feel welcome and comfortable at their child’s school. The Family Support Center offers English classes and explains how to check their child's grade, use an email account, and make them aware of events happening at school. While parents attend the class, their children work on their homework or playing educational games. In addition to the classes, the school offers a Village Shoppe, a huge closet where parents can get gently used clothing, school supplies, and other essential items.
Bug Hunters - Fifth graders at Millstone River School in West Windsor-Plainsboro turn their love for bugs into an authentic field study. Regular and special education students research the population size and diversity of carrion beetles. The field study design is student generated based on entomological literature. The students enjoy bug hunting, insect identification and pinning their collections.
Meet the McAllen’s – Educators often run in the family, but at the McAllen’s home, they are award winning educators who love their profession. John, a teacher at Point Pleasant Borough High School, went to the White House to receive a presidential award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching. His wife, a teacher at Howell High School, runs an award winning choir that has performed at Carnegie Hall. John left the corporate world, cutting his pay in half, to join his wife’s world of passion for students, passion for learning, and passion for education.
Show #14 March 10 & April 14
JOY – Joining Old & Young (JOY) is an intergenerational poetry group comprised of students from Valley Middle School and senior citizens. During monthly meetings, the students and seniors perform and critique each other’s writing. The long-standing program has been featured in Writing Magazine and received a Best Practice Award from the New Jersey Department of Education.
Completion Project - More than a thousand students of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society of Essex County College sign a commitment pledge to earn an associate degree or professional certificate within three years of enrollment. Students at the main Newark campus participate in the Community College Completion Challenge. Faculty, administrators and staff also sign the pledge. President Obama and higher education leaders have pledged to boost college completion rate by 50 percent over the next 10 years.
Saturday Morning Science - Imagine high school students producing a television show hosted by middle school students who teach elementary students fun science lessons. On top of that, the lessons are a great source for teachers and parents to learn interesting new ways to teach science. The entire Egg Harbor Township School District is involved, including parents! The show helps students understand basic science concepts and connect science to their daily lives in an entertaining way. The program also serves as turn-key professional development for teachers, with a newsletter outlining the monthly theme and a website where teachers, parents and students can access additional enrichment activities.
Pemberton Middle States - Pemberton Township School District is the first school district in the state of New Jersey to be accredited by the Middle States Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Previously given to schools on an individual basis only, this prestigious designation means that every Pemberton school has met the rigorous standards set forth by the MSA. Just a few of the reasons the district received this award include their Early Childhood Education Center, the Medical Arts and A-STEM Academies, TV Production and JROTC programs, plus the bakery and horticultural classes.
Show #15 March 17 & April 21
HomeCorp - Students at Glenfield Middle School in Montclair volunteer time to HomeCorp, a non-profit organization that helps provide safe, affordable homes to low and middle income families who are often disenfranchised by high housing prices in their community. As a reward for their service, Homecorp provides scholarships to help students pay for a class trip to Washington D.C.
Project Team - A multi-school initiative in Stafford focuses on peer support and esteem building. Students at Southern Regional High School mentor children at Ocean Acres Elementary School while Southern Regional Middle School students observe. As mentors, the older students inspire the younger ones to make the right choices in life. Project Team is the brainchild of guidance counselor Lisa Di Bernardo. The older students also participate in S.T.Y.L. E., a peer mentoring program.
NYTimes Learning Network - While most teenagers are tweeting, students at High Technology High School in Lincroft are reading newspapers every day! The students read the New York Times and the Asbury Park Press, then discuss and debate the daily news. Teachers Sarah Gross and Jon Olsen incorporate the common core standards by using the NYTimes Learning Network.
iPADS – Every student and teacher at Delaware Valley Regional High School in Frenchtown uses an iPad to enhance learning. The Integrated Plan for Academic Development (iPAD) implements 21st Century Skills by interfacing their technology-dependent world through the use of a mobile learning device in preparation for successful careers and college pursuits.
Show #16 April 28 & May 26
Traveling Art - Robert Vogt, a ceramics and photography teacher at West Windsor Plainsboro High School North, returned to his classroom after a year traveling to locations around the world, including Alaska, New Zealand, Central America, Russia and Mongolia. He now has a wealth of information and experiences to share with his students.
Positive Behavior Support in Schools - Children at Passaic’s Daniel R. Ryan School No. 19 participate in a school-wide Positive Behavior Day; a day in which they are encouraged to dream, set goals and learn how to achieve those goals. A year ago the Positive Behavior Support in Schools (PBSIS) Initiative, a partnership between the NJDOE Office of Special Education Programs and the Elizabeth M. Boggs Center of Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, was implemented to create a positive learning environment for all students that will decrease the number of discipline problems and increase opportunities for students to be successful in learning.
Animal Tech - The Morris County Teacher of the Year Thomas Koehler runs a four-year veterinary program at Morris County School of Technology. Students learn about the history and origin of animals, and the connection between species, pathology and about the careers involving animals.
State Teacher of the Year 2013 - Lauren Marrocco, a fourth-grade teacher in Perth Amboy, is the 2012-13 N.J. Teacher of the Year. Marrocco teaches at E.J. Patten Elementary School where she encourages classroom collaboration while incorporating brain-based learning strategies.
Show #17 May 5 & June 2
Itheatrics - Students from Elizabeth F. Moore School in Upper Deerfield Township work with an organization called Itheatrics, a New York based program that promotes musical theater in the schools. The students share their experience from the Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta, Georgia, where they attended workshops and met musical superstars. Upper Deerfield is one of a handful of elementary schools invited.
Films in Elizabeth - Budding young filmmakers from Dr. Antonia Pantoja School No. 27 in Elizabeth use science to create short films. Antonio Di Fonzo, a vice-principal and filmmaker, collaborates with science teacher Connie Sanchez to create science films. The students use computers and iPads to shoot and edit the projects. The goal is to infuse students with a passion for technology and filmmaking, which will help prepare them for careers in the 21st century.
Teen Cancer - Monongahela Middle School in Deptford Township runs a Teen Cancer Awareness Week with a focus on fundraising for the Alicia Rose Victorious Foundation. Last year the students raised $2,100, by paying a fee to dress down and wear purple. Jeanne Andrews, an instructional aide, initiates and organizes this yearly event which includes daily announcements and five minute lessons about teen cancer. The week culminates in an assembly featuring teen cancer survivors and representatives from organizations and businesses working to help teens through a difficult time in their lives.
Buddy Program - School can be overwhelming for a five year old, but with the help of a buddy, life can be so much easier. Sixth graders at Ft. Lee’s School No.4 buddy with kindergartners for activities once a month. The buddies go on field trips together and work on a variety of projects. At the end of the year, the older students present journals to share with their little buddies. 
Show #18 May 12 & June 9
Learning from the Pros - From digital photography to websites to printing presses, students participating in the Tech Prep program at the Ocean County Vocational Technical School in Brick learn about design and visual communications. The intensive program emphasizes preparation for both employment and continuing education at a post high school institution, while offering Tech Prep agreements for possible college credit upon examination or portfolio review. OCVTS students traditionally attend a two and a half-hour session per day while the second part of their day is spent completing academic requirements at their sending school.
Squan-a-Thon –At Manasquan High School, nearly 300 students take part in the "Squan-a-Thon". The event aims to raise more than $40,000 to assist children afflicted with cancer. On the surface, the event functions as a dance marathon requiring that each student stay up all night without caffeine. On a deeper level, this challenge intends to foster a sense of empathy and concern for the hardships of others among the student body.
We the People - Developed by the California-based Center for Civic Education, We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution is the largest civic education program in the country. It is focused on the history and principles of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. About 280 students from John P. Stevens High School in Edison, Bayonne High School, East-Steinert High School in Hamilton Township, Hopewell Valley Central High School, West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North, East Brunswick High School, Marlboro High School, and Montclair High School participated in the culminating event at Rutgers University’s Bush Campus Center in Piscataway.
NJ Poetry Festival - The Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival, the largest poetry event in North America, returns to Newark for the 14th biennial event. Bill O-Neal and his students from Trenton Central High West Campus attend the High School Student Day. The budding poets participate in readings, attend performances, and join in the conversations with world-renowned poets.
Show #19 May 19 & June 16
Synergistics - A computer/technology laboratory class called Synergistics builds problem solving, communication and team building skills. Synergistics is part of Saddle Brook Middle/High School teacher Howard Weinberg’s approach to better prepare students at for the 21st century. A Synergistic Suite is based around team challenges that include forensic science, intelligent systems, engineering, and multi-media components.
Horses & Hot Rods - Students at Hunterdon Polytech Career Academy in Raritan Township take pre-veterinary classes that give students hands-on experience with large and small animals. The students run a dog grooming business, an educational opportunity which has led to careers for many of their graduates.
Seuss Day - Seuss Day is the culmination of a week-long celebration of Read Across America at Wanaque Elementary School. The day starts with a green eggs and ham breakfast sponsored by the PTA. Guest readers visit the classrooms and the library is turned into Mulberry Street mall. Older students lead Seuss-centered activities for the younger children. The entire school is involved in this event, and this year the theme is “Reading is a Shore Thing.” The goal is to raise money for Superstorm Sandy recovery. The day ends with an assembly where the Cat in the Hat makes a surprise visit.
2013 Humanities Teacher of the Year – Burlington City High School teacher John Russell is the New Jersey Humanities Teacher of the Year. A product of New Jersey public schools, Russell takes his inspiration from his own teachers and he hopes to inspire future teachers in his position as a professor at the College of New Jersey. Russell uses the humanities to engage students, strengthen their thinking and to create self-guided learners.
Show #20 June 23 & 30
Pioneering Programs – Teachers collaborate, research, and bring to life some of the most exciting ways to reach students with complicated and challenging lessons. New Jersey educators are encouraging girls to envision a career in science, getting middle school students to read the New York Times every day, and convincing young children to plan for college.
Weathering the Storm – Superstorm Sandy challenged New Jerseyans in ways we could not anticipate. From destroyed homes to displaced families to damaged schools to lingering environmental concerns, Sandy continues to impact the state. The resilience and tenacity of public schools affected by Sandy are teaching students – and communities – a powerful lesson about weathering life’s storms.
Top Teachers – What are the qualities of a top teacher? Is it a passion for teaching? Is it a commitment to their students? Is it a constant struggle to improve? Or is it a willingness to collaborate? This year, Classroom Close-up has had the pleasure of meeting top educators. Watch and decide for yourself what qualities make a top teacher.
Reflection – Schools are a reflection of the world. In hallways, classrooms, lunchrooms, and school buses, student learn more than just the basics: they learn about compassion, humanity, and kindness. Educators are preparing today’s children to be tomorrow’s leaders through innovative and creative programs. We will look at just a few of the projects schools are using to build children of character.
Remembering Kate – In March, Classroom Close-up lost a very special person: producer Kate Megargee. Kate worked on the show for 15 years, producing about 285 segments. She won seven New York and Mid Atlantic Emmys, six of them for Classroom Close-up. We remember Kate, and honor her legacy.