Expanding our Reach and Celebrating our Leaders
Our school year began on September 7, 2022 and this year Elevate Teacher-Mentors are reaching a new cohort of 10th graders in an “Intro to Elevate” course. In this course students learn to elevate themselves, their peers, their families, and their communities through the lens of the “7 parts of a whole person” and Elevate’s “13-character qualities and life skill”. The course is based on each student’s perception of their own life and involves a paradigm shift in their understanding of their place in the world. Such a shift is possible when students learn about their passions and how to translate those passions into action to create positive change in their world. To prepare for such an audacious adventure, students have a chance to discover the wisdom of their past, the power of their present and the avenues to create a bold future.
Historically, Bronx Studio School for Writers and Artists (BSSWA) students have worn school uniforms. The uniform requirement was lifted during the transition out of virtual learning and back to in person instruction. Despite the lift, BSSWA continues to celebrate their annual White Shirt Ceremony. Traditionally 9th-11th grade students wore navy blue shirts and 12th grade students wore white shirts. The white shirt celebrates their journey to their senior year. The ceremony encourages everyone to take a moment and applaud our students for their hard work and encourage them to thrive during their final year of high school. Each student is presented with a personalized white shirt to wear with pride. The ceremony is bittersweet for staff and students. We are filled with pride for every senior but are also sad knowing this is our final year together at BSSWA.
We are excited to share that we have expanded our impact with the addition of cross-age mentoring. Elevate students will be fitted with essential teaching, mentoring and leadership skills to become Elevate mentors (called Elevaters) who will deliver lessons of leadership and character to 125 eight grade students. Research has proven time and again that the best way to learn is to teach others. As peer mentors, Elevate students are given the opportunity to put their learning into action.
