The administration had been trying to find a way for students to express themselves and show what it is to be a Knight. That’s why Patrick Green and Julia Burkel from the English department came up with the idea of students writing what’s called a “This I Believe” essay.
The idea came from a radio show in the 1950s; it was originally supposed to be spoken, but instead, the staff came to the agreement that it would be typed along with other student podcasts and videos to eventually be put on a public website.
This ongoing assignment couldn’t have been possible without “the encouragement of the administration to get more student voice,” said English teacher Patrick Green.
“Individually, it allows them to synthesize what they believe in and why, who they are, what they stand for, and making positive statements about it all,” Green said.
Students have been assigned to decide on an important issue that they care about or have some experience with and write an essay around 500 words on it.
“We hope students can find their own voice and core beliefs, and through this, find commonality and perhaps empathy in other Knights’ stories. We are a family here and share common threads. This project is devoted to exploring who we are and what these threads are,” said English teacher Julia Burkel.
Senior Giananthony Ocampo is in Green’s English class working on his 500 word project about homelessness and how difficult life is when you are moving from place to place.
“Working on this project has made me realize how much people take for granted and how contributing to other people’s lives can change yours and change your outlook on life,” Ocampo said.
The projects are due in the upcoming weeks, which means students have to gather all of their information and add their last-minute details to perfect their assignments.
“Watching our kids take on this challenge and explore themselves and divulge their stories, beliefs and sometimes their vulnerabilities is what makes me proud to be a part of this. The true bravo goes to the students at North, no one else,” Burkel said.