Michelle Larson, 7th grade teacher at Eastern Howard School Corporation is one of those passionate and engaging educators many of us wish we had in our lives.
On a daily basis she helps shape her students’ world view through her classes in World Language and Cultures. Her mission is to provide academic, social, and physical opportunities to all students in order to allow them to pursue their fullest potential and to prepare them to be responsible and productive citizens.
This interview with Michelle highlights her partnership with United Planet and the United Planet’s Virtual Classroom to Classroom Exchange program her students were involved in.
From January 2022 to March 2022 she and her students engaged with over 420 teachers/ students from 8 different countries to share cultures and solve global challenges using project-based learning. Their involvement in the program led them to learn about and address an important issue in their community namely food security. As part of their final project they were introduced to a guest speaker from the Kokomo Rescue Mission .
They were inspired to support the and began fundraising to help the mission achieve its goals.
Hanna: How did your students fundraise for the Rescue Mission?
Michelle: My 7th graders joined with some other groups in our school to participate in Walk A Mile in my Shoes for the Rescue Mission.
We had a bake sale at a basketball game that raised over $100 and students also sought donations. Our school raised $1,114 in total.
Students at Eastern Howard School organized a “Walk a Mile” fundraiser for their volunteer program.
Hanna: Your students were given the opportunity to take part in Zoom sessions with United planet to connect with other students from all over the world and learn about their unique approaches on supporting their local communities. What is your classrooms’ favorite thing about collaborating with this project?
Michelle: They have shared the following opinions with me:
Brynn: I loved learning new things about our community.
Addison: My favorite thing about collaborating with countries is that we get to meet new people and learn new things.
Sadie: I like to be able to help the local community.
– I love seeing everyone and hearing everyone’s accents. I also love to hear how life is in other countries.
-The Zoom meetings have been so interesting
– We all help where we can.
– It’s interesting to hear how everyone has a different SDG that they feel is important to their community. Our communities are all different.
Hanna: It’s great to hear about the engagement of the students! I’d like to hear more about your own plans on creating more learning opportunities for them. You have previously received a travel grant by the Teacher Creativity Fellowship Program (TCFP) by the Lilly Endowment. Tell us about your plans as you have renewed it?
Michelle Larson at the Ironman Triathlon (bicycling portion).
Michelle: I will complete an international Ironman triathlon across a variety of Spanish-speaking countries by swimming 2.4 miles in Tulum, Mexico, running a full marathon in Madrid, Spain and cycling more than 112 miles throughout the Costa Rican countryside.
I want to swim in the waters of Mexico where there is so much Mexican history. I am in awe of the Mayan civilization and their knowledge of nature, astronomy, math and physics. This history is so fun to teach and each year I learn a little bit more as curious students ask questions about Mexico’s past.
I am so grateful and appreciative to Lilly for this opportunity to live out a dream that otherwise would not be possible. I am looking forward to the physical challenges as well as sharing my trip with my students. I sponsor many international trips for my students but this experience to renew myself will be unique.
Hanna: What was the process for achieving this?
Michelle: Running is my passion, while cycling and swimming are my stress relievers. Although I have never participated in an Ironman competition, I watch them on TV and imagine completing the grueling competition. I have completed “lazy-man triathlons” through my local YMCA and I really enjoyed the challenge. But now I want to complete an Ironman triathlon with my own special twist.
Hanna: Your students are going to learn a lot through these projects! What are your upcoming plans to continue to make a difference with your classroom?
Groceries for the Buddy Bags program.
Michelle: My students want to raise $1000 to help fund our school’s buddy bags program. They will do this through cake walks, bake sales and an auction (likely FB live) where everyone makes something to sell. I have many talented students!
We are currently seeking clubs from local schools to join us in an effort to support the Rescue Mission or Kokomo Urban Outreach that supports our entire county. The students are very excited for others to learn about the local needs and join in efforts to make a difference. We have some established groups that are making a big difference in people’s lives and of course these groups need funding! We want to help them and work alongside them to achieve these goals.
We have also found there are jobs that 7th graders can do like make rags for the rescue mission to sell or help bagging for the buddy bags food program.
The class successfully fundraised over $1,000 with the Rescue Mission.
ABOUT UNITED PLANET
United Planet is a non-profit organization with a mission to create a global community, one relationship at a time. Established in 2001, United Planet offers volunteer abroad, virtual internships, internships abroad, gap year volunteering, and global virtual exchange in more than 40 countries.
