by Lisa R. Smith
Special to the Coastal Journal
NOBLEBORO - Guiding a fellow colleague across an imaginary toxic lake on nothing but floating logs. Walking across tight ropes fifty feet in the air, while being belayed by friends below. Brainstorming the tenants of effective teamwork in front of a warm fireplace in Innisfree Hall. These are just some of the many activities Bath Middle School's eighth grade team engaged in this past week at Camp Kieve's Leadership School.
As part of the kick-off of the Black House spring expedition on social justice and positive leadership, Bath Middle School students engaged in a five-day, intensive program focusing on self-knowledge, personal responsibility, character building, teamwork, and positive leadership. These are the five rungs of what Bath Middle School students will soon refer to as the “Ladder of Positive Leadership.”
Over the course of the next two months students will be examining historical and contemporary examples of social justice and social activism, as they begin to formulate their own plans for how they can make a difference in their school, their community, and their world. This is just one of the many exciting expeditions taking place at Bath Middle School this spring, a school endeavoring to engage students through experiential learning that is both rigorous in content and relevant to the contemporary world.
Thanks to the generosity of Bath Iron Works, who sponsored the Camp Kieve experience, our eighth graders will have stories to tell of adventure, friendship, triumph, and challenge that will remain in the hearts and minds of both students and teachers for many years to come. At Bath Middle School, we are thankful for this amazing opportunity to work with Camp Kieve, who has joined us in watching the students of midcoast Maine grow as unique individuals, destined to become the positive leaders of tomorrow.
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