Middle School
Worthington students advance to state in Speak Up Speak Out competition
Worthington students advance to state in Speak Up Speak Out competition
On January 12, six NISD middle school teams from GT Explorations traveled to UT Arlington to participate in the Speak Up Speak Out regional competition. They competed against other DFW area middle schools on a community issue they had spent the fall semester researching.
Teams of students researched a range of issues confronting their communities, including air pollution, bullying, homelessness, school safety and productive learning environments. After identifying an innovative solution, students created and implemented their action plan.
The semester of research and data collection culminated in the district’s first Civics Fair. The top six scoring teams then moved on to the DFW Regional Speak Up Speak Out Competition last week. "Awareness Around Us" from Worthington Middle School placed second and will be moving on to the state competition, which will take place March 1 at the Moody College of Communication at UT Austin. Winners at the state level will receive funding to support their solution.
These teams presented at the DFW Regional Speak Up Speak Out Competition on January 12:
| Campus | Topic | Teacher | Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worthington | Awareness Around Us | Andrea Folse | Mason Edwards Noah Acevedo Ethan Herndon Cadhla Kachur Elijah Alejos Ava Holland |
| Medlin | Care for the Air | Tracy Gallagher | Alyssa Crofoot Kaitlyn Hua Madi Price Olivia Ulrich |
| Adams | Providing Necessities for Underprivileged Students | Gabe Berumen | Ronin Fresh Cohen Maples Lottie LeMasters Myles Jernigan Rodner Reyes Rivera |
| Adams | Minimizing Pollution | Gabe Berumen |
Kaden Steen |
| Wilson | School Safety, Protecting our Future | Cindy Trimble | Ethan Nowell Elijah Alexander Kamani McGowan Harris Carson |
| Tidwell | Project H.E.L.P. | Brandy Downe | Livia Virmani Emma Nix Lexie Butley Lucas Dale |
Speak Up Speak Out is an innovative civic education program designed to teach students about their communities and equip them with the tools to make a difference. The program is a part of the curriculum for GT Explorations, an elective for gifted learners in middle school.