Standard 3:

Collaboration and Leadership

My Mission: "To inspire in each student a lifelong quest for knowledge and literature, instilling the tools needed for success in an ever-evolving academic world.”

My Reflection on my Connection with the Library Community

MESA (Math, Engineering and Science Achievement) , Student Service Learning

Throughout my seven years at Murray Hill Middle, I have enjoyed my leadership role within two academic associations, MESA and Student Service Learning. From 1997 to 2003, I have been the coordinator for MESA, a program with Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Through this program I was able to encourage and expose students to hands-on engineering projects at a competitive level. Many students at middle school level, particularly minority and female students, do not envision themselves as future professionals in math and science fields. This program opens up avenues of exploration and achievement within these fields at their academic level. Through this program, students will be able to continue to pursue these fields as they enter high school and college. As a media specialist I will continue to be involved in media associations to further the success of my media program and professional growth. At Murray Hill I also became the Student Service Learning Coordinator. I created a seventh grade project to improve the health of our stream. Through several hands on projects we developed a plan with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to increase the buffer zone around the stream. Not only did these activities count toward student service learning hours for graduation from high school, it gave the students the opportunity to apply their critical thinking and problem solving skills in a real world situation which had a positive impact on their environment. As Student Service Learning Coordinator, I represented Murray Hill at a county level in meetings and conferences. This coordination role is important to open information pathways into and out of the school. As a media specialist I will continue to be an information facilitator for the staff and students in the school and to our outside community.