Fridays at West Virginia Academy are commonly filled with hands-on experiences, field trips, intramurals, assemblies and other experiential learning opportunities. Last week was no exception and the academy also hosted some special guests. Our scholars arrived in their uniforms, and everyone present could see and feel the professionalism and confidence from each student. These special days are made possible by a little extra effort and preparation on the part of faculty, staff, and especially the wonderful parents of our scholars.
In the morning, we were visited by a member of the YASS Community, Michael Musante, as part of the YASS prize competition for $1 million. Our school provided Mr. Musante with a tour as well as a visit with leadership to discuss our unique and amazing programs. Michael Musante currently serves as the Vice President of the Center for Education Reform and the deputy director of the YASS foundation. He is also a West Virginia native and he is excited to see the improvements in educational choice that is currently happening in the Mountaineer state.
During the morning tour, all of the third-grade scholars recited the Builder's Poem and our second-grade scholars displayed posters of what they were thankful for. Fourth graders showed off their piano skills in the piano lab and on display in the science room were the chicken wings that were dissected to learn about the muscular-skeletal system. The academy teachers put in amazing work to prepare exceptional activities and experiences for our scholars.
In the afternoon, the Kindergarten through sixth grade students gathered for an assembly featuring three WVU football players: Nicco Marchoil, Nick Malone and Jahiem White. The players read two books to the scholars and then helped present the Builders of the Month awards. It was a pleasure to host these fine student athletes. West Virginia Academy has been invited to tour the stadium just after the football season concludes and will arrange for this additional experiential learning opportunity on a future experience day.
West Virginia Academy's unique schedule lends itself to enriching experiences every week, without sacrificing crucial time for academics. This weekly schedule combined with a balanced calendar puts our philosophy of working hard and playing hard into action. Our scholars are able to thrive academically as well as socially through rigorous academic coursework from Monday through Thursday combined with experiential learning each Friday to help each scholar achieve the social-emotional learning necessary to become community leaders in the future. We are proud of our students and their accomplishments as builders within our school and beyond.
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