What do skateboards, songwriting, culinary chemistry, murals, and ropes courses have in common?

Sep. 2, 2024

With the sun shining through the spring leaves, two 5th graders stood on a small platform, 50 feet above the ground connected to a series of pulleys and ropes at a high ropes course in Fairmount Park.

Jayden and his classmate were examining, pulling, and prodding a jammed carabiner. Across the treetops, classmates impatiently called for Jayden to keep moving, so they could take their turns. “He needs help,” he replied. “I’m going to stay with him.

Their teacher, Ms. Lawlor, watched from the ground with anticipation, “It was the longest 10 minutes. It felt like forever, but they figured it out!”

Ms. Lawlor knew her work was cut out for her at the start of last year. In a small school like ours, she gets to know students well before they enter her classroom. “They were good kids, just happy and active. And loud.” she shared. Her years of classroom management skills would be put to the test throughout the year.

Then, Ms. Lawlor received a Staff Innovation Fund award, a new fund UrbanPromise piloted to encourage the integration of experiential learning and wellness throughout our schools and programs. Staff could apply for up to $2,500 and Ms. Lawlor requested $750 for the high ropes course, seeing it as a creative way to reinforce the value of teamwork and to encourage trust-building and problem-solving.

“I thought it would be good for them, but I didn’t realize how good it would be. It was remarkable,” she noted, with a hint of surprise in her voice as if she still can’t quite believe it caused such an apparent shift.

“It was most obvious with Jayden.” Ms. Lawlor added. “Before the trip, classroom behaviors were a regular challenge. He would talk back a lot and would get into it Shane, especially. After the trip, his posture in the classroom was noticeably different.”

When Shane would read aloud, he was slower than others and his classmates would get restless. After the trip, Jayden was patient and encouraging, saying “You got this! Take your time.”

Now, in her classroom, adorned with colorful pinboards waiting to highlight student work, Ms. Lawlor said the character of this class is similar to last year’s. “I would love to do the ropes course again with this group. If I could do it every year, I would! It made such a difference.”

Our teachers are always innovating, but when working with minimal budgets carving out $750 for a high ropes course trip isn’t always an option.

The Staff Innovation Fund encourages teachers to think outside of the box about what they’d do with additional resources to improve learning and outcomes. And Ms. Lawlor’s high ropes trip shows that a little bit can go a long way!

Please consider supporting this year’s Staff Innovation Fund and project-based learning so that our team can create unique experiences that offer new perspectives, challenges, and opportunities for young people. We’re thankful for the opportunity to pilot this program and it exceeded our expectations.

I hope you will partner with us.

Check out the variety of Staff Innovation Fund projects from Spring 2024! We loved seeing what our staff came up with and the joy that each project created for students.

Culinary Chemistry Experience

Project cost: $2,100
The 11th-grade Chemistry class explored Chemistry concepts through food preparation during this trip. At Hershey, students participated in a hands-on chocolate lab, studying chocolate’s tempering and crystalline structure. The experience also included overnight camping, campground cooking, and a visit to Ringing Rocks Boulder Park.

UrbanROK: Original Song & Music Video

Project cost: $1,250
Ten middle school students had the opportunity to transform their thoughts and feelings into a song and a final music video. The students wrote lyrics and recorded them, learning all the different components involved in crafting a song from scratch. They then collaborated on creating the music video, preparing the sets, learning about production, and acting in it.

Skateboard Build

Project cost $2,250
This project engaged 10 Camp Peace participants in designing, building, and painting their own skateboard decks. The project promoted resilience, physical fitness, problem-solving, and emotional regulation.

Student Mural

Project cost: $1,200
Students designed and painted a vibrant mural that captures the spirit of UrbanPromise. This mural is proudly displayed outside our cafeteria, adding a colorful and inspiring touch to the school environment.

Sight and Sound: Bible brought to Life

Project cost: $1,700
High school students will have the opportunity to attend a performance at Sight & Sound Theatre, where Bible stories come to life on a panoramic stage. This unforgettable and uplifting experience aims to inspire students and provide them with a fresh perspective on the stories they have studied over the years.