From April 26-30, middle school students took part in various activities for MS CARES week. CARES stands for Culture, Awareness, Recreation, Experience, and Service, so the activities focused on those ideas. The events were coordinated by the administration, teachers, and our amazing middle school PTO as opportunities for students to engage in a variety of activities similar to what they may have experienced on a Week Without Walls trip if COVID restrictions had not been in place this school year.

As a cultural activity, students learned about four different traditional Korean dances. They discussed some of the symbolism in the dances and the reasons they were created. Studio See also performed the dances for the student to watch in person.

Each grade also did an activity that they would normally have done on their Week Without Walls trips for the year. In sixth grade, students played a game about energy throughout the world. In seventh grade, students completed an activity involving ratios and scale drawings. And the eighth graders took part in a traditional tea ceremony after decorating their own tea sets. An expert taught the students the proper etiquette and technique for making tea via Zoom.

During the week, each grade also engaged in a service project. Sixth graders wrote notes of encouragement and thanks to doctors and nurses working with COVD patients. They also made cards and prepared a small snack package for local police and firefighters. Seventh graders prepared packs of needed supplies for North Korean refugee families with cards of encouragement. Packs included items such as shampoo and conditioner, toothbrushes and toothpaste, and special items for children in the family such as shoes or a t-shirt. Eighth graders prepared packs for the poor and elderly in Seoul along with cards of encouragement. Packs included items such as soap, shampoo and conditioner, a toothbrush and toothpaste, and snacks. These will be distributed to families by the Woo Yang Foundation.

Due to COVID, we had to cancel many activities and events throughout the last year. The middle school teachers and staff, along with members in the PTO, sought to provide students with new experiences on our own campus. Students engaged in activities in the areas of Culture, Awareness, Recreation, Experience, and Service throughout the week, strengthening their connections with their own academic subjects as well as the culture and community in which we live.