Bunn students taking ownership

By Denise Dick

denise_dick@vindy.com

Youngstown

Cuss words written on their school’s bathroom walls bothered students Angelina Nomnay, Autumn Bayuk, Brianna Kerr, Layla Tusin and Naijah Hasley.

“I didn’t want the little kids to learn bad words,” said Naijah, 9, a third-grader at the city’s Paul C. Bunn Elementary.

The students are part of their school’s Quaglia Team, named for the Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations. The Maine organization has been working in the city schools this year, trying to give students more of a voice and to improve schools. The group works with students and staff to identify problems and develop solutions.

Bunn Principal William Baun said it’s working.

“Students are taking more ownership,” he said. “They realize this isn’t just a place where they spend six hours a day. It’s their school.”

One of the problems identified by the students was the writing on the bathroom walls.

“They were very upset about it,” he said.

Fifth-grader Brianna, 12, and fourth-grader Autumn, 10, said they’re disappointed when other students write on the bathroom walls.

“It’s not good because the younger students look up to us,” explained Layla, 10, a fourth-grader.

And the people who do it aren’t going to grow up to do good things, Angelina, 9, a third-grader, said.

They made posters telling their classmates not to write on the walls and took their message to a school assembly.

First-grade teacher Mike Klacik leads the school’s Quaglia Team, the members of which were selected based on their answers to questions about the school. Once the students explained the situation, writing on the walls decreased, he said.

Fifth-graders Kaitlyn Thomas, Tammy Caraway and Jirah Campbell, all 11, believe part of the reason the writing died down is because they, as older students at the school, set a good example for their younger classmates.

They also organized an academic pep rally, cheering on fellow students as they prepared for the Ohio Achievement Assessment.

The school’s Hall of Heroes features photos on the walls of people the students selected as heroes, and their reasons why.

“A hero is someone who takes care of you,” said third-grader Jashaughn Barrett, 9.

He picked his mom and dad.

Fifth-graders Xavion Camp and Daniel Torres, both 11, each picked teacher Ron Walcott as their hero.

“He teaches us important things in school,” Xavion said.

Third-grader Carlos Irizarry, 10, said his hero is his teacher Kathy Paull. It’s his first year at the school, and she helped him improve his reading and vocabulary.

“She taught me a lot and taught me how to sound it out,” he said.

Team members wear Q Team T-shirts with the eight conditions needed for student success listed on the back. Those are belonging, heroes, sense of accomplishment, fun and excitement, curiosity and creativity, spirit of adventure, leadership and responsibility and confidence to take action.

Michael J. Corso, Quaglia’s chief academic officer, said Quaglia’s early work involves giving students a voice in their education.

It’s something that’s lacking in many schools.

“It’s the biggest flaw in education right now,” he said.

Students should have a say in matters regarding their education. It doesn’t mean they get to pick the curriculum or supplant the role of educators, though.

But often when a school is making decisions, students are left out of the process.

“The students are what this is all about, but too often they’re not invited to the discussion,” Corso said.