MGP Summer Scholars

Calvert-FSK Closing Video

2010-07-29T11:10:00.002-04:00

That Was the Week that Was -- Take Three

2010-07-15T14:45:00.002-04:00

The week started with a bang on July 4th and got hotter as the temperatures climbed into triple digits. On Tuesday we went shopping at Seoul Plaza in preparation for an Asian cook-off on Wednesday. Did you know that under every layer of banana blossom petals there are smaller and smaller bunches of bananas? It was hard to decide which was better the 8th grade boys' Okinawan fritters or the 7th grade girls' fried rice stick noodles. Thursday was a long day. We toured the University of Delaware and cooled off tubing.

That Was the Week That Was -- Take Two

2010-07-04T11:12:00.001-04:00

This week could also be called four days before the Fourth. Oleg did a presentation on his camp mission to the Crimea last summer. On Wednesday Ms. Marlowe and helpers prepared bin dae duk -- savory Korean pancakes and Japanese soba noodles. On Friday we went sailing and had a barbecue with our families.

Is the First Week Already Over?!?

2010-06-27T17:35:00.008-04:00

It was great to welcome the seventh graders, and new intern Euna Park on June 22nd. We've only had one Send-off competition -- the scavenger hunt on Tuesday -- because we are just SO busy enjoying math, language arts, geography, technology, Spanish, science and art!

Let pictures tell the story...interns Oleg and Freeman enjoying extra cookies before they go back to work, Jamal sketching his Korean name in art, and Sergio putting on the dog at Center Stage while Yvette puts on the Ritz. On Friday we went to Towson along with all the other MGP programs to officially kick off the summer. Connexions drummers warmed us up, Gayle Danley, slam poetess, returned, and Greg Harrell, the Best Benchwarmer, spoke to us. Ms. Casey, Executive Director, shared the results of the Johns Hopkins University study which confirmed that MGP works! (We knew that!)

Students who participated in the After School Program were delighted to learn that their third KIVA loan has been repaid.

Next week the seventh graders get to try their hands at golf with First Tee, and all of us will enjoy the annual Regattah! and barbecue on Friday.

Summer's Starting June 22nd!

2010-06-16T13:07:00.002-04:00

Look at what we'll be doing!

Swing into Summer

2010-05-14T16:54:00.002-04:00

Among other things, baseball is all about summer. On Thursday, May 13, returning Summer Scholars and new Summer Scholars went to Camden Yards for a weather presentation (no, it didn't rain because Bardella brought her umbrella!), and a game against the Seattle Mariners.

Mr. B was quite upset that our pitcher was not yanked after giving up 5 runs. However, Luke Scott made up for it in the bottom of the 8th when he hit a grand slam homer to propell us to a 6-5 victory.

Summer will begin for the Scholars in earnest on Tuesday, June 22nd.

Terra Cotta Soldiers

2010-03-06T14:55:00.003-05:00

On Saturday, February 27, 2010, we went to the National Geographic Society in Washington, D.C. to see the Terra Cotta Soldiers from Xi'an. Thousands of these soldiers were found as part of the burial complex of Emperor Quin -- the man who unified China, started the Great Wall, regularized money, weights and writing, and then spent the last years of his life preparing, as the ancient Egyptians did, for the after-life. These pictures show what they look like in China, and what we looked like in DC.

Continuing a Tradition of Giving to KIVA

2010-01-03T10:07:00.006-05:00

What better way to celebrate the holiday season than by re-loaning our KIVA funds which have been repaid. Once again, people's generosity in terms of micro-finance is so large that we were unable to fund our first choices. Here is who we did fund.

Lindon Ismael in La Paz, Bolivia, wants to provide low-cost entertainment for the children in his neighborhood by purchasing a trampoline. Teresita's Group provides transportation of goods and people via over-sized tricycles in the Philippines.

Until Next Year (!)...

2009-12-17T17:19:00.003-05:00

We wrapped the fall After School Program with sessions on Baltimore. In math students constructed a variety of graphs using demongraphic data -- they realized that Baltimore is NOT a diverse city. In language arts they learned about and read some Edgar Allan Poe -- it was so exciting that some students returned to read and listen to The Tell-Tale Heart a second time. In this photo, seventh grader Sergio Cardoza is channeling the late poet. Seven students had perfect attendance!!! Most students attended more than seventy-five percent of the sessions.

A Busy Week

2009-11-22T17:19:00.005-05:00

On Thursday, November 19, MGP Summer Scholars invited their 8th grade FSK colleagues to join them for our third annual High School Night. Ms. Sophia Rudisill, Associate Director of MGP, described the high school lottery process. Ms. McDonald, 8th grade FSK teacher, and Mr. Basmajian, 7th grade FSK teacher, and MGP Site Director, will review the formula with their students.

On Saturday, November 20, two dozen summer scholars enjoyed the DaVinci exhibit at the Science Center. Students were amazed that DaVinci's inventions were so modern and to learn that his self-description as "also painting," even though he is best known for the Mona Lisa, was accurate. The 8the Grade Girls won the scavenger hunt.

Second Annual HS Roadtrip

2009-10-22T12:25:00.004-04:00

There are more than three high schools of choice in Baltimore, and it is important that the MGP Summer Scholars get a taste of some of the possibilities. On Monday, October 12th, students from FSK had an opportunity to visit two innovative Baltimore high schools New Era Academy and ACCE.

At New Era students are called scholars, jazz plays between classes, and crew is offered at the Baltimore Rowing Club -- www.newera.net.

At ACCE students go to internships on Thursdays instead of school getting a clear understanding of what the world of work is like -- www.accebaltimore.com.

Remember HS Night for MGP students at FSK will be on Thursday, November 19th in the cafeteria.

High School Night at Calvert

2009-10-07T14:18:00.003-04:00

The After School Program started on September 29th and 30th. MGP program students were invited to Calvert School on October 6th to participate in their High School Night where Baltimore independent schools and out-of-the area boarding schools had representatives available to talk to interested students. Eighth grader Symone Jackson and her mother came straight from the soccer field to speak with representatives from RPCS, Oldfields, St. Timothy's (shown here) and City among others. On Monday, October 12th, MGP students will be going on the second annual High School Roadtrip. High School will again be our focus on November 19th when there will be a high school night for us (AND pizza) in the cafeteria at FSK starting at 5:30 pm. Please let Mr. B. know if you will be coming.

Pictures Are Worth Thousands of Words

2009-07-31T10:13:00.004-04:00

Enjoy these videos of Summer 2009!

Fifth Week of Summer

2009-07-28T13:11:00.002-04:00

Hard to believe that summer's been and gone. 9th graders completed their Radio Days at WLOY; the date on which their feature stories will air will be posted here shortly along with the Closing Celebration video. Enjoy the photo of the entire group from 7th to 10th graders.

Check here periodically for news of happenings during the school year.

Fourth Week of Summer

2009-07-19T21:10:00.007-04:00

Students began the week onstage at the Hipodrome where they got a chance to improvise, paint their faces, vocalize, and write and perform in scenes. 9th grade quilters continued to work on their squares, 8th graders their NFTE projects and Radio Days, WLOY residencies, began. On Thursday all students visited the Planetarium in Calvert's Lower School and played water games on the field. 7th graders enjoyed a debate competition. After four weeks of competition the scores gap between the teams is narrowing.

Third Week of Summer

2009-07-14T16:26:00.003-04:00

We hit the waves on Thursday, July 2nd at the Downtown Sailing Center for our Fourth Anual Regatta. On Monday, July 6th we went to Philadelphia -- some of us put on the robes of a Supreme Court Justice, most of us ate cheese steaks, all of us had not realized how small the Liberty Bell actually is!

On Tuesday, 8th graders got a Taste of (Summer) Squash and a bit of a workout at Meadow Mill Athletic Club.

Also on Tuesday, 9th graders got to spend the night at UMBC where they learned about life after FSK from the 10th graders and life after high school from a panel of college students. Sunset was beautiful from the library. Afterwards we played a variety of games in the common room. On Wednesday we had a class with a UMBC professor and toured the campus.

On Friday, 7th graders teed it off with 1st Tee of Baltimore at Clifton Park.

Second Week of Summer

2009-07-05T12:13:00.023-04:00

All students continued their work, with special emphasis on the arts. 9th graders were rather domestic -- they created various versions of PlumpY (a peanut-based food used in famine relief), and dissected to classify various mystery fruits. Additionally, they moved from creating paper quilt squares to the real thing under the guidance of Mrs Marty Vint, President of the Baltimore Quilters Guild.

8th graders did art with numbers as they began to print showing various types of symmetry.

7th graders are on the verge of completing their personal powerpoints and have started to assemble their cut-paper projects.

Summer Scholars Under Way

2009-06-28T18:35:00.004-04:00

On June 22, MGP Summer Scholars got under way at Calvert. This year we are joined by four 10th graders, each has been assigned a cohort of 7th or 8th graders. Highlights of the week included: first Monday pancakes, learning that Spanish and English have a lot in common, building water filters, visiting the courthouse where Judge Berger dismissed the jury because its selection had been entirely driven by considerations of race, dissecting a cow's eye, learning about Philly cheesesteaks, making Plumpy, taking tests, and Team 8's leap to the head of the standings with an extraordinary finish at Friday's send-off. (Hint to team captains -- have representatives of EACH grade at the table with you.)

Swimming into Summer

2009-05-24T10:14:00.003-04:00

On May 20th, Calvert-FSK celebrated the success of this year's After School Program and welcomed some of this year's Rising Summer Scholars at our third annual Swim into Summer at Gilman School. We are not counting down until the end of school, but rather, the beginning of the fourth Calvert summer.

2009-03-28T17:27:00.002-04:00

On March 28 we went to the Zoo. Last time Ms. Marlowe visited FSK we talked about numbers -- how a milliion seconds is a little more than eleven days, a billion a bit more than thirty-two years, but a trillion is more than 317 centuries!!! Mr. Little joined us with his son and niece. There was a lot about numbers at the Zoo, too. Sampson, the baby elephant, weighed 290 pounds when he was born and has been gaining 15 pounds a week ever since. Giraffes are six feet tall when they are born -- Cyndi watched one swallow all the way down. We watched the penguin feeding and the herring gulls trying to blend in and snatch some squid or sardines -- when the penguins are born they are brown, then they are silver and white, and then black and white. It was interesting to watch the cormorants and gulls "swim" with their feet and the penguins do the same thing with their wings! This penguin seems most interested in making sure the zoo keeper takes the right notes!
It was cold and rainy just as it was for the Newseum -- we hope we have better weather for our Swim into Summer on May 20th.

Last Session of 2008 After School Program

2008-12-28T16:32:00.005-05:00

After reviewing the results of our acid rain experiment, we had a discussion about whether or not schools should be closed for the Inauguration. Students were divided -- most had not realized the day would have to be made up at the end of the year. Some felt that the inauguration of Barack Obama as the forty-fourth president was an event of such historical significance that schools should close; others that since he had not done anything yet, other than get elected, and since one never knows about a president's term without the luxury of hindsight, schools should not be closed. We completed the 2008 after school program by celebrating the perfect attendance of nearly 25% of students in the FSK-Calvert Partnership.

8th Graders Visit Area High Schools

2008-12-07T13:22:00.007-05:00

On Friday, December 5th, 2008, Ms. Karpay of Supporting Public Schools of Choice, escorted most of the 8th graders on visits to three transformation or innovation high schools in which they'd expressed interest after some research on the web. Innovation high schools are smaller high schools with particular program emphasis and usually special community partnerships. Transformation schools are similar, but go from 6th through 12th grade.
The first stop was New Era Academy, a college preparatory innovation school. They change classes to jazz instead of bells; and one of the school sports is crew! In one of the pictures Ms. Dorsey, school counselor addresses a group led by senior, Cindy. In the other, Mr. Johnston, math teacher, explains the academic trophies which are given out quarterly. (He was a little disappointed that only one boy earned a trophy.) The largest class at New Era is 25, the average class size is 15, and one Advanced Placement class had only seven students.
Students then went on to Baltimore Freedom Academy, which just became a 6-12 school transformation school, and focuses on social justice curriculum. The final stop was, Baltimore Talent Development High School, an innovation school which partners with Johns Hopkins University.

School Year Program Starts

2008-11-10T13:11:00.005-05:00

The school year program began the third week in September. While we continue to work with Mr. Basmajian and Ms. Marlowe, we have three new after school teachers. We do math with Mr. Fisher and Mr. Older, and language arts with Ms. Welsh and Mr. Fisher. We are just finishing reading and acting out Monster by Walter Dean Myers. The story is told in film script form and set largely in a court room. It is particularly real to the 8th graders because of the visit they made last summer to Judge Berger's court last summer.

On October 25th some students, including returning 9th graders Bethany Dillard and LaShandalese Johnson, went to the Newseum in Washington, D.C. It is an interactive museum dedicated to the 1st Amendment of the Constitution. We went to a 4D movie, saw a display of Pulitzer Prize winning photos as well as pieces of the Berlin Wall and the World Trade Center. Some of us got to be newscasters, too. One of the highlights of our visit was watching KAL, an editorial cartoonist, draw quick caricatures of political figures. Many of us got to take his original art home. Afterwards we took a bus tour of D.C.

KIVA Loans

2008-09-28T08:37:00.005-04:00

The first repayment of one of our loans has been made! Naimdjon Domulodjanov, the Tajik Mobile Phone Entrepreneur, has repaid 8.33% of the loan we made less than two months ago.

Email Update on KIVA Loan

2008-09-11T22:17:00.003-04:00

Dear FSK MGP Calvert,

This is an update on your loan to SOPE NABY Group in Senegal. Thank youfor your loan. It has been disbursed to the SOPE NABY group, consistingof Oumou Khaïry Ka, Ndèye Gadiaga by UIMCEC, a partner of ChristianChildren's Fund in Senegal. We are excited to watch this business grow.Over the next 12 months, UIMCEC, a partner of Christian Children's Fundwill be collecting repayments from this entrepreneur and postingprogress updates on the Kiva website.

8th Grade International Microfinanciers

2008-08-24T21:04:00.005-04:00

This year's NFTE class decided to use some of the profits of The Key Store to contribute to the entrepreneurial efforts of others. Microfinanciers make small loans to people who are seeking a loan amount "too small" for banks. KIVA is an international organization that serves as a clearing house for international loans. After research, presentations and a vote, the group initially elected to finance Srey, a Cambodian fisherwoman; however, she was funded the same day. Two other entrepreneurial businesses have been loaned $100.00 each.

Meet Naimdjon Domulodjanov from Tajikistan. Although only 21, he's been in the cell phone business for two years. In countries without a solid infrastructure there are far more cell phones than land-lines. Naimdjon seeks to expand his business because he hopes to marry soon. Naimdjon intends to repay the loan within a year.

Meet Ndèye GADIAGA and Omou Khairy KA from the democratic country of Senegal on the west coast of Africa. Most people in their country live well below the poverty line, so used clothing is how people can afford to dress well. Ndeye and Omou want to increase their inventory to suit their customers' needs and intend to repay their loan within a year, too.

How Sweet It Was!

2008-07-27T17:33:00.008-04:00

The summer finished on some high notes.

On Wednesday, July 23rd, staff members brought in desserts to share at the end of the day. Everybody got (at least) one of Mr. Little's world-famous chocolate cookies and three other desserts!

On Friday, at our closing, 8th Graders sang "You Can't Stop the Learning," and a mixed grade group sang "Cuando Sali de Cuba" to an audience which included Mr. Andy Martire, Calvert Head Master, Mrs. Kelly Herrity, Calvert Middle School Head, and Mrs. Mary L. Booker, FSK Principal. Enjoy the attached movie. Downloadable pictures will be posted soon.

9th Graders received Certificates of Completion recognizing their three years with MGP. We hope they return, or at least visit. Mrs. Booker awarded plaques created by 9th Grader Arthur Plummer's father to Mr. Basmajian, Site Director, Ms. Marlowe, Program Director, and Calvert School.

Another Kind of Learning

2008-07-23T21:36:00.005-04:00

On Tuesday, July 22nd, 9th graders visited BIC (Baltimore International College). BIC trains students for careers in culinary arts and/or hotel management -- the dorms are in the student-run Mt. Vernon Hotel. Students can earn associate's and bachelor's degrees in addition to gaining certificated skills that make them employable around the world. BIC also offers programs which articulate with Baltimore high schools. Lab (cooking) classes run in twenty-four day cycles; they start at 7 am and finish with LUNCH! Next time we visit, we'll start later so we can get to enjoy what the students prepare.

Radio Days

2008-07-23T21:31:00.004-04:00

Selected 9th graders spent two half days July 15-16 at WLOY, the Loyola College radio station learning how to create, record and mix radio spots. They will air July 19-20 and July 26-27. WLOY staff and students direct a percentage of their fund-raising efforts to FSK. Rumor has it that plans are being aired about starting a radio station at FSK!

MGP at the Hippodrome

2008-07-16T14:12:00.004-04:00

Monday, July 14th, students from FSK joined students from City Springs, Collington, Northeast Middle and Winston-Salem Middle at the Hippodrome for a Day of Drama. We sang, we danced (some of us did!), we learned some fight scene tricks, tried auditioning for commercials and learned about stage make-up. Some of us could not keep up with the adults who were teaching us. At the end of the day we got to be on the eight story high stage of the Hippodrome which was designed by a man with no architectural training.

Debate Residency

2008-07-12T14:32:00.003-04:00

Baltimore Urban Debate League returned to offer a one week residency in debate to our 7th graders. The topic was immigration to support new understandings gained from reading First Crossing and working with Where in the World? Winning teams were: Malik Barnes and Taylor Jones, Jocely Delair and Drue Montgomery, and Mariah Dillard and Aria Jones. Top individuals were : Taylor Jones, Mariah Dillard and Symone Jackson.

Learning Can Be Sweet

2008-07-10T17:07:00.002-04:00

Mr. Basmajian, Site Director, prepares to cut the cake celebrating National Summer Learning Day under the watchful eyes of 8th grader Cydni Smith

Boom Day

2008-07-07T16:19:00.006-04:00

The students had an opportunity to meet a professor at Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Bertrand Garcia-Moreno, Chair of the Bio-Physics Department, and Calvert parent. He performed exciting demonstrations for them, including levitation, expansion in a vacuum and exploding a solid.

Back at Calvert, students had another science treat, chemistry demonstrations with Mr. Little assisted by Mr. Doss. A few examples of the experiments include fighting over pink, recreating the Hindenberg blimp explosion, and making Alka-Seltzer rockets.

Rock Climbing at Earth Treks

2008-07-07T16:01:00.005-04:00

On July 3rd the students visited Earth Treks for rock climbing. It was an awesome experience! Some of the teachers learned how to belay before the field trip. A "belayer" is responsible for tying knots, holding the rope that supports the climber, and insuring the safety of the climber as they ascend the wall. Some of the students were amazing climbers. Everyone really did a wonderful job of learning and improving during the day. A few students actually were chosen to climb the "big wall" where experienced climbers show off their skills.

Visit to Gettysburg

2008-07-07T15:52:00.003-04:00

The 8th and 9th grade students went to Gettysburg. They visited the battle site, saw the location of Abraham Lincoln's speech, and learned about Civil War strategies. One student mentioned that they were touched by the importance of Gettysburg in American history, that without the Battle of Gettyburg and the Gettyburg Address the opportunities that we enjoy could be nonexistent.

Later they got to eat lunch at and tour Gettysburg College -- where every room has a micro-wave and a refrigerator!

Sailing at the Harbor

2008-07-07T15:49:00.004-04:00

On June 30th, the students went sailing at the Downtown Sailing Center. They had a great time sailing, and enjoyed barbequed hot dogs and hamburgers afterwards. However, some of the hot dogs did not have as enjoyable a time. Yes, those are hot dogs...

Kick Off t Morgan and WJZ Video

2008-06-27T15:49:00.003-04:00

On Tuesday, June 24, all students involved with the Middle Grades Partnership from all over Baltimore City arrived at Morgan State University. The event was hosted by the Admissions Office within the beautiful Murphy Fine Arts Center. Featured was a new theme for 2008, "Partnerships, Let's Do This Together." The guest speaker, Munir Bahar, is an entrepreneur who founded KEYS Development, Inc. (Keep Encouraging Youth to Succeed). We also heard music from the MSU Jazz Combo. Finally, we enjoyed ice cream! I am sure that the students will say that the ice cream was a wonderful way to end the day. The cookie dough ice cream is the best (says Mr. Little). There is a wonderful clip from WJZ about the Middle Grades Partnership, featuring our MGP kickoff event at Morgan State University. You can view the segment at http://wjz.com/seenon/school.watch.2.756178.html. Enjoy!

Welcome Back!

2008-06-23T15:47:00.001-04:00

On June 23, Calvert welcomed the FSK Summer Scholars: 27 new rising 7th graders and 26 rising 8th graders as well as students from the Summer of 2006 who will be entering 9th grade in the fall. Everybody was very excited to get started with the summer program. The most popular activity was...pretests! We look forward to another successful summer.

The first group of MGP students from FSK to arrive at Calvert School will be entering 9th grade in the fall.

Rising 8th Grade

2008-06-23T15:41:00.000-04:00

Summer of 2007

In their second year at Calvert School for MGP, we expect great things from our rising 8th graders. They have a few special activities that only they get to enjoy this summer, including visiting a court house and meeting a special prosecutor on Wednesday, June 25th.