FIRST Lego League!

The FIRST Lego League has come to #GreenCharter! Earlier this month, Green Charter Scholars participated in the inaugural FIRST Lego League meeting. The team consists of six scholars in grades 6-8. The team meets twice a week to work together on building robots from lego kits and will eventually program the robots to perform different tasks for participation in a regional competition. The competition, which is a few weeks away, will showcase the team’s robot building and programming abilities. In addition to other factors, the team will be judged based on a research topic and presentation. Scoring is also determined by judging the technical aptitude, teamwork and sportsmanship of the group.

FIRST Lego League is one of many enrichment opportunities that FirstLine Schools offers to our students. The funding for Green’s team comes from our partnership with Friends of FIRST. At FirstLine, we understand that learning outside the classroom can be just as impactful as learning inside the classroom. Getting our scholars excited about learning is always rewarding. We look forward to future updates on the FIRST Lego League team’s success, and hope to add teams at all of our FirstLine Schools!

To learn more about FirstLine Schools and our variety of enrichment programs please visit www.firstlineschools.org/new-orleans-outreach.html
Be sure to follow us on twitter and instagram as well: @FirstLineNOLA and "like" us on Facebook www.facebook.com/firstlinenola

Jesse Short is a Louisiana Delta Service Corps member serving at FirstLine Schools as the Technology and Social Media Coordinator.

The power of great teachers

Rita Pierson said, “Every child deserves a champion – an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be.” FirstLine School’s Sarah Bliss is that champion for an extraordinary student named Troy Simon. Ms. Bliss first met Simon when he was in the fifth grade. Ms. Bliss was teaching at a school in Houston set up for children who had been displaced after hurricane Katrina. Simon was one of those children.

Simon was not an exemplary student early on in his scholastic career. He struggled with fighting, paying attention and even showing up for class at all. Academics were also difficult for Simon, who did not learn to read until the age 14. After years of avoiding school, Simon decided he was ready for a change. While the path that lay ahead of him would be tough and there would be much lost time to make up for, Simon was dedicated to reaching his full potential and knew people were ready and willing to support him in his journey.

After an initial meeting with his high school, Simon reached out to Ms. Bliss, his fifth grade teacher. Ms. Bliss was instrumental in Simon’s progression toward educational success. Bliss continues to mentor Simon years after he first reached out for her help. It is because of their bond as student and teacher, mentor and mentee that Ms. Bliss was able to accompany Simon to the New York Times Schools for Tomorrow Conference in New York City. Simon was on a panel discussing new paths to college. He shared his story and the struggles he faced growing up in an impoverished household. Simon also spoke about ways to help kids from similar backgrounds get to and through college successfully.

Though Simon had a rough start to his education he is now a junior at Bard College in upstate New York. He is studying American Literature and hopes to be a fifth-grade teacher like his mentor. “I am so lucky to have Troy in my life. He is living what we as teachers hope and dream will be a truth for all of our kids- living to his full potential and reaching his dreams,” said Ms. Bliss. We at FirstLine Schools would ask that everyone join us in giving a big shout-out to Troy Simon and his mentor, Sarah Bliss. Stories like these are what fuel our organization to do our best every day and fully support our staff and students.

To hear from Troy, check out his video: I am what I learn: Troy Simon.

Jesse Short is a Louisiana Delta Service Corps member serving at FirstLine Schools as the Technology and Social Media Coordinator.