Blog

Students Finish Lamps with Done Construction

The students completed their lamp projects this week.  They have been building and wiring lamps for the monthly woodworking classes conducted by Done Construction.  The women from Done did the prep work, supplied all of the materials and taught the students the assembly and finishing skills.  The students put everything together, did the wiring and hardware assembly as well as the sanding and finishing.  Each student gets to take home the beautiful lamp they made and finished.

We are so thankful for our partnership with Done Construction and appreciate their work to introduce our students to basic woodworking, home repair and a career in the trade.

Conversation with Luis Sierra Moncion

Luis Sierra Moncion, Deputy Director of the Johns Hopkins University Center for Social Concern (CSC), was our guest for today’s Conversation with. It was the first time Luis has been to the school though TCS has had a relationship with CSC since its inception.

Luis’s dad was born in Puerto Rico and his mom was born in the Dominican Republic. He grew up in both places as well as Florida, once his family migrated there. He has a special interest in integrating community and social justice with the higher education student experience. Luis shared about the work of CSC as well as his own personal story.

The students also shared their motivation to get an education and talked about what aspect of TCS is especially important to them. After the Conversation, Luis was taken on a tour of the building by the students.

This was an interesting and meaningful conversation and hope it’s the first of many visits by Luis to the school.

Day of NO Silence: LGBTQ+ Presentation

The students observed Day of NO Silence today to stand up for LGTBQ+ rights.  This special day was started by 2 college students back in the 1990’s and has grown into a day for students around the country to protest the harmful effects of harassment and discrimination of LGBTQ+ people in schools.

A group of students in the school put together a presentation and hosted a discussion to educate about these issues. They covered definitions of words commonly used to describe members of the LGBTQ+ community as well as the history of the movements and the changes in law, both in this country and around the world.

The Community School has long welcomed and appreciated all into our community.  This statement is from our Honor Code that is posted in every room and signed by students and staff:

“We will respect and appreciate individuals of different races, cultures, religions, genders, sexual orientations, abilities and national origins.  We will be careful when talking, not cursing or using words that put down a person’s circumstances or background or speaking offensively about others, whether in or out of their presence.”

We are proud of every one of our students and their commitment to creating a safe and comfortable environment for all.

Experiencing the Art of Joyce J. Scott

“Walk a Mile in my Dreams” This was the name of the exhibit of the multifaceted work of Baltimore artist Joyce J. Scott that we visited at the Baltimore Museum of Art today.

The students were spellbound at the deeply meaningful works of art whether intricate beadwork, larger than life sculptures, one of a kind handmade and decorated clothes, video performances and more from this artist of seemingly unlimited creativity.

In one room, visitors were encouraged to participate in collective works of art by weaving their own designs on several looms.

At the end of our time there, students shared their feelings about whch works stood out or spoke to them the most.

It was a great experience. Our thanks to the Baltimore Museum of Art and also to TCS Board of Trustee member Fleesie Hubbard for arranging this tour.

Conversation with Nygel D. Robinson

We were honored to have a lively Conversation with Nygel D. Robinson today. Nygel is one half of the team that wrote and acted in the play Mexodus that we saw at Baltimore Center Stage yesterday.

We learned a lot about Nygel’s life, passions and work. He talked about the process of writing and creating the play with his work partner and friend Brian Quijada and the students shared what they took away from it. But the conversation went so much deeper. It was a far reaching conversation sharing concerns about the state of our country and world and the hopes and dreams for both the students and Nygel.

After the Conversation, Karla, Kendall and Ethan took Nygel on an extended tour of our school and explained how the school works.

It was a great experience for all. The students really loved their time with Nygel and look forward to his next visit with Brian when Mexodus has a run in Washington next month.

We appreciate Nygel and his generous sharing of time, talent and perspective with us!