Interns sign-off for the summer!

This summer’s blog posts were brought to you in part by our 9th and 10th grade interns. On Friday, the last day of the Student U summer program, interns wrote a final word to you!

With the summer of 2011 coming to an end, I couldn’t leave my audience without a goodbye. This summer has been great and I’ve had a lot of fun. However, the highlight of this summer had to be my trip to Maryland, D.C., and Virginia with the 10th graders. It was a stellar experience to visit and explore a different state and an overall wonderful endeavor. This summer Ms. Z and Mr. Kimberg have also taught me to be responsible. Finally, when I leave this internship, I’ll take away all of the good memories and leadership qualities from the summer.

-Daniel Odeh

My highlight from this summer has actually not happened yet, simply because the rising ninth grade interns have yet to go on their big field trip to Atlanta. I cannot single out one particular teacher because I know that every last teacher here has worked very hard to prepare for this summer. When I leave Student U this summer I am going to take with me the learning experience I got this summer during the internship program, and I believe that I am fully prepared for high school.

-Tyler Horne

Hello, my name is Tray and my job was Digital Documenting intern. One thing that I learned was that taking pictures is fun and exciting. Taking pictures was the most fun thing I did.

-Traveon Brewer

Hi, my name is Alexis and I’m a 9th grade intern. My job for the summer was blog writing. Blog writing was a great experience, and I’ve enjoyed the writing. Next year I look forward to more improvement and excitement. Thanks for reading our blog!

-Alexis Wilkerson

New technology in the 7th grade: Coleman Greene’s Prototypes

During Coleman’s experiment, 7th graders get rewards for the greatest level of physical activity. For example last week a local yogurt shop donated some yogurt for the winning family; this week the winners will  get a gift certificate for ipod music. This helps them enforce our “eat, play, live” quote, and participate in activities.

Coleman Greene, a recent graduate of the UNC Business School, has worked with Student U to test out his new watches. The whole objective of these watches is to get kids’ physical activity level up and so that they are motivated to exercise. The reason they are motivated is because they can sync their time into the computer so they can win the prize for their family based on their performance that week. They will have these watches until Mid-July, which is about two more weeks.

Twenty 7th grade students here at Student U have them. Eighteen of the twenty prototype watches were donated from Texas Instruments for the students to test. “Based on the positive feedback, I think the watches are going well” says Coleman. If this experiment goes well they will put the watches on the market; they will be marketed as a commercial product.

Coleman Greene decided to pick this specific group of children because he heard that Student U was a community of motivated and excited students. Neither Ms.Caroline, our 7th grade grade-head, nor Coleman Greene have gotten negative feedback about the watches. 7th graders will not keep the watches because Coleman needs to do more than one test on other students.

The majority of the students said they were excited about the watches they will have for the next couple weeks. They also said that they would purchase the watch if it was on the market. “The most exciting thing about the watches is the competing for the prizes,” said eight 7th graders in a survey.

Written by Jeriah Myles

Sports Center: Faculty – Student Basketball Game

Friday afternoon, the Durham Academy gym was filled with all students and teachers at Student U. It was hot and loud because everyone was excited to see their friends and favorite teachers compete in the faulty student basketball game. The final score was tied 33-33. Some students suspect that the teachers cheated. Mr. Grey kept score but perhaps for next game we can supervise more closely. All grades participated.

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I think that our most valuable players are Alston, Nick, Malik, Willis, Trey, Mike, Mr. Ian, Ms. Emily, Ms. Laurel, Ms. Mary, and Mr. Matt. They all played well and played hard. Everyone was the most valuable player of the game. In one highlight of the game eighth grader Malik crossed up Ms. Emily and shot a fade away shot. They could all be in the Hall of Fame one day. The reason we have these basketball games: it’s something we do for fun with teachers.

By: Gamarkus W.

A Player’s Perspective: Faculty – Student Basketball Game

Hello, my name is Traveon Brewer or as people call me “Tray.” I was one of the students who played in the student vs. faculty game. I was very excited to be in the game, it was like a burst of energy. As a student to play in the game you were very nervous because you were thinking, “I don’t know how they play,” and you were thinking, “I have to play hard because they are bigger than us.” As an older peer to the younger kids they look up to me and the other interns that played in the game. Our practice here at Student U was very difficult, but me and my team stuck together and played hard. The students performance was excellent in my opinion. They had a little trouble starting the game but once they started getting into the flow, the game was in our hands.

By: Traveon Brewer

“Ms. Z Can Cook???!!!”

Alert! Alert! Call the feds; this just in ……………. Ms. Z Can Cook!!! Today in the Eat.Play.Live Cookbook class, Ms. Z assisted the interns in preparing two distinctly different pasta dishes. A team of six interns were shadowing her in the process of boiling pasta and preparing tomato sauce.

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It took a lot of work and effort but the end result smelled great. They prepared chicken alfredo and angel hair with meat sauce and if I do say myself, it was scrumptious. In addition to that, my blog partner, Tyler, was equally stunned by the exquisite tasting pasta. Ms. Z was a great mentor for the cookbook class and equally great source lunch for me today.

~By Daniel

Student U goes to college!

Each week Student U students go on a field trip to experience new places in the community, expand learning beyond the classroom, and to have fun with their families. Last week, all of our students visited local universities. Students got a taste of what it’s like to be a Blue Devil at Duke, a Tar Heel at UNC-Chapel Hill, and part of the Wolfpack at NC State University. Check out what we learned and saw in these photos, courtesy of the photography and blogging interns!

We walked around the State campus looking at new and wonderful things like photos and spray paint art. -Gamarkus

Mr. Matt and his students learn new things on their NC State tour. -Gamarkus

After learning about UNC’s basketball history, 7th grade students and teachers smile for a photo. -Tyler

Students explore UNC’s incredible basketball museum. -Tyler

Students take a drink from the Old Well at UNC! -Tray

Student U says ” OHHH!” at the Tarheel Nation! -Daniel

Wow, was I this active as a sixth grader? You can’t help but love it. -Daniel

Students and teachers stop by the Old Well at UNC. -Daniel

Sixth graders admire the Duke Chapel. -Tray

Mr. Ian of family 7B talks to his guys about what they need to do to get accepted to college. -Daniel

7B gets an idea of what the environment is like in a Duke classroom. -Daniel

Can you say cheese 7B?! (7B poses in front of the Duke Chapel). -Daniel

This week, students’ field trips ranged from the Carolina Tiger Rescue to the NC State Solar House to the Chapel Hill landfill. One family even threw a birthday party for civil rights activist Anne Atwater!

Interview with Mr. Jon, our Eat.Play.Live Coordinator

Mr. Jon began working with Student U last year as an eighth grade teacher. He now works with interns in our high school program and coordinates Student U’s food and nutrition initiative: Eat.Play.Live. We thought we’d interview him to learn more about what drives him to work with Student U!

1. How has Student U changed you as a person?

“I’m more focused, and I’ve become more organized and gotten to know a variety of people.”

2. What do you like best about Student U? Why?

“The people. Everything from teachers, to students, to grade heads. It’s a very caring atmosphere.”

3. Where do you see yourself after college? Do you think you will become a teacher?

“I don’t think I will become a teacher, but I want to go to med school and become a nurse.”

4. How do you think your first year was at Student U?

“My first year was a bit challenging, but I thought it was a great experience for me. I really want to become better in my teaching technique.”

5. What do you think could be improved in yourself working here at Student U?

“One thing is that I need to be more detailed, and I need to learn how to connect with my students that are disconnected.”

6. What is one thing you love about all of the students here?


“One thing I love about my students is how much they show who they really are and their talents.”

Interview by Alexis

Ms. April’s and Mr. Huggins’ Chicken Wing Dissection

On July 1, 2011 I took a trip to Ms. April’s classroom. On this particular day they were doing an activity where they were dissecting chicken wings. I can tell you from my own personal account, that the intensity of the learning going on in that classroom was overwhelming. The children in Ms. April’s class were all on the same page calling out the answers to all of her questions in symphony. Their knowledge of the human body left me utterly flabbergasted. The amount of inspiration I felt from those kids was amazing. I just want to say that you guys in Ms. April’s class are amazing. I can tell by the eww and aww I heard from them that they had an all around great time, and let’s not forget that Mr. Huggins’ amazing descriptive ability of where the tendons, and ligaments, and cartilage were located in the chicken wing  made this activity an overall wonderful learning experience. All of these components completed a perfect classroom activity.

 -Tyler

Interview with Angel, an intern with our Eat.Play.Live Cookbook

As part of our new Eat.Play.Live program, we have a team of interns who are creating a Student U cookbook. When they aren’t busy preparing daily snacks (apples, oranges, or watermelon) for students, they are experimenting with recipes, trying new foods, and writing for the cookbook! We decided to interview one of the interns, Angel, a rising 9th grader, to find out more about his work here at Student U.

Tyler interviews Angel

1. How do you like your job?

My job is great, I love to cook.

2. What is your favorite part of your job?

My favorite part of my job is co

oking and being able to taste food.

Angel prepares sweet potato fries during his morning internship time.

3. What is your average day like?

In my average day at Student U, I set up snacks and help with lunch dispersal.

4. What is the one thing that you want to get out of this?

I would like to taste a

variety of food and

experience new tastes.

5. What’s the best thing that

you’ve tasted  in your class?

The sweet potato fries!

6. Why did you pick this class?

I picked this class in order to learn how to cook and have the ability to cook for myself.

7. How is this food different than last year?

The food tastes better and we use healthier alternatives.

8. On a scale of one to ten how would you rate your job?

I would rate it an eight because I get to cook and relax but there’s a lot of moving involved.

-Interview by Daniel and Tyler.

Interview with Mr. Chris, an 8th grade math teacher

1. How did Student U shape your career aspirations?

A: He is going to school for education. He is sure he wants to be a teacher.

2. Describe your favorite Student U memory.

A: His favorite memory is in his first period class. His class is happy everyday.

3. Describe yourself as a middle schooler.

A: He said he was a kid that was friends with everyone and an athlete.

4. If you wanted to be something else what would it be?

A: He would do any sport professionally.

5. What’s your favorite sport?

A: His favorite sport is wrestling.

6. What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re not in Student U?

A: He would hang out with friends, play volleyball,basketball and other sports.

Interviewed By: Gamarkus Williams