The 7th grade class trip was a success

This past week, the seventh grade students went on their three day class trip to St. Louis. Below, you will find Ms. Rudolph's recap of the trip. What a blessing it is to see our young people making a difference for Christ in the world. Enjoy!

Day One

Wednesday morning, students frantically boarded the coach with one goal in mind: sit by a friend or perish! We embarked, and after a couple hours of harmoniously suspect Disney medleys we arrived at our first destination: The St. Louis City Museum. What was once an old shoe factory had been transformed into an amazing series of tunnels, caves, and slides that kept the seventh graders busy for hours. An outside wire jungle gym, towering high above the ground was also a source of great adventure and risk for anyone afraid of heights. Pizza and blue slushies filled the students’ stomachs and lined their lips with hypothermic color as we went to our final destination of the day: The St. Louis Arch. Students were in awe of its enormity and architecture. After the Arch we shared a delicious meal at the Spaghetti Factory , checked into the hotel, and students swam until bedtime. Day one, obviously, was a great success.

Day Two

Thursday consisted of two destinations: The St. Louis Science Center and the St. Louis Zoo. The Science Center had its fair share of hands-on, interactive amusements. Students dug up fossils, created their own computerized fish, and built a replica of the arch. This was a great start to our day, however, the zoo stole the show for most of the students. Now I know what you’re probably thinking, It’s just a zoo. Don’t you work in a zoo-like environment every day? Well, yes, but this zoo’s animals don’t talk so much. An aquarium exhibit gave kids the opportunity to pet stingrays. An insect exhibit tested whether or not certain girls could stifle their screams. The weather was perfect and the animals were awake. After the zoo we had dinner and shopping time at Union Station. Somewhat of a ghost town, we had the run of the place. Boys bought flat bill hats and one girl almost bought a new straightner. It was a nice place to wind down and get off our feet. Hotel and swimming closed day two.

Day Three

Today was the most exciting day - it was time to serve as the body of Christ. We arrived at Jubilee Church early Friday morning. We split into groups and were assigned certain areas outside to cultivate. Weeds were pulled, mulch was laid, and trash was collected as we attempted to landscape the border of the church’s parking lot. What once looked like an unkempt piece of land became a really beautiful scene. And it was on this day, in these moments of working side-by-side with my students that I became entirely aware of how unique they really are. Throughout the entire trip those we worked with or innocent bystanders offered up compliments toward these students. They were impressed with how respectful and well-behaved these students were acting. They commented on their work ethic and maturity. It is unfortunate that these strangers only saw a glimpse of what I have observed all year. Yes, these students deliberately served Jubilee Church within those several hours of the day, but I have been so blessed to have observed such a large group of kids who are willing to respect and serve each other on a daily basis.

To sum it up: this class is full of really great kids. I think it is safe to say that this trip was a blessing to everyone. To the kids , they had time to hang out, take weird pictures, and buy superfluous souvenirs. Their behavior and service project were not unusual tasks because they have been in constant practice of these things at ECS. But to the adults, this trip was a refreshing reminder of what a great group of kids we have all had the opportunity to influence and encourage. And , finally, to the strangers and Jubilee Church, it was a chance for the students to show Christ’s love in an impactful and tangible way. To God be the glory.

After our project we left town and headed home. To most kids the drive home was a chance to drink more soft drinks and discover each others’ hidden talents – making weird shapes with their tongues, wiggling their ears, and learning how to whistle. For me the drive home was a chance to thank God for the privilege I’ve had to teach this group of students. I pray that I have been a blessing to them as much as they have blessed me.

Parent Education - Open Communication Lines

It is extremely important that we keep open lines of communication with our children. This video discusses ways to create relationships with your children where open communication can become a reality. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_3Y0oq0VSc

Parent Education - Technology

Technology is a great tool that offers great opportunities for our children. We need to be careful to protect them by preparing them to use it appropriately. Click the link below to view this months video entry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6Fxge3c8ks

Parent Education - February

This month's entry is "Modeling Behavior for our Kids." Click the link below to view this month's video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeCeAwLWbTE

New Chapel Small Groups

Today, was our first chapel in grades five through eight where we met in small groups following the message. The message topic was "The Fruit of the Spirit: Peace." The students met in groups of anywhere from eight to twelve students. Our small group leaders were comprised of teachers, office staff, church staff and parents. The leaders facilitated discussion on peace and challenged the students to think critically about peace and what the speaker said about it. They initiated questions that allowed students to see how they could apply the teaching of peace to their lives today, no matter what their age or grade. There has been overwhelming positive feedback already, from the leaders and the students, as this time allowed them to digest the information and get an understanding of what others believe. Students were transparent with their groups, sharing personal stories, positive experiences of peace as well as struggles they are facing that challenges the peace that they have. What a wonderful opportunity for our students and the leaders to build relationships, better understand what others believe, and heighten the personal and spiritual accountability of the students. This is but one of many ways ECS is reaching our mission to educate, equip and engage our students with excellence.

Auschwitz Survivor speaks at ECS today

What a great opportunity we had today! What has been in the plans for over a month came to fruition today when Mr. Phil Gans, a survivor of the holocaust, spoke to our sixth, seventh and eighth grade students along with some parents and relatives. We learned of Mr. Gans from the holocaust museum in Washington D.C. when our eighth graders traveled there in October and made contact with him. Phil was so gracious that he agreed to come and speak to our students at no cost to the school. We had some technical difficulties, which postponed our start time, but once he began speaking, the room was focused on his every word. He spoke of his family and their life before the war. He gave details of the period of time when he went into hiding to avoid the concentration camps. He explained how his family members were removed from the group only to be gassed and cremated, without him having the opportunity to say goodbye. He continued on with details of his stay at Auschwitz until he was liberated twenty-one months later. His message to the group was to stand up for what is right and don't be a spectator. The students asked some great questions and should be commended for their attention and level of respect for him. As a gift, some ECS students wrote some essays titled "What is a survivor?" and I created a blanket out of it. At the top, it had Survivor, Phillip R. Gans, along with his birthday. The rest of the blanket was covered with these letters that were written by our 6th, 7th and 8th grade students. He was moved by the gesture and thanked us many times. What a great opportunity this was! A special thanks to Phil for making this possible!

Parent Education - January

This month's parent education is focused on the importance of letting our children struggle. Through life's struggles, our children build character, strength and self confidence. Click the link below to watch this month's video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrV0DuWERrE