By MADDIE CRIBBS A blast from the past—the Public Speaking class enters through the doors of East Pike Elementary. On October 17, the East Pike Elementary School welcomed back the students of the Public Speaking course at Indiana Senior High School, entering with guidance and training to read to the young learners.
“Reading to the students was an amazing experience and the performance was great, they loved us,” stated senior Sky Russick.
Welcomed with gratitude, the students of the Public Speaking course were grateful for the warmth of the Elementary school students and staff. Lead into the library, librarian Mrs. Nath split the high school students into multiple groups. With the assistance of an elementary school student, each group was lead into a different classroom.
Sophomore Orlando Clark stated, “Personally, I learned more on how kids act and that they are able to look up to the older kids since the new K-3 movement.”
In each classroom, the elementary students were divided into multiple groups around the room. One Public Speaking student was directed to a group to read, rotating as time passed.
The Public Speaking students had a chance to rejoice in reading to the elementary students and educate them on the book of their choosing, allowing for an experience they’ll never forget. Not only did the high school students have the opportunity to educate the younger set of students, but they had the chance to acknowledge themselves.
“I took away from the experience that the elementary school kids looked up to all of us and that in the future they are going to remember us going and reading, which might lead them to take the Public Speaking class in high school,” said sophomore Gracie Porter.
With the aid of the Public Speaking teacher, Mr. Nath, the East Pike librarian, Mrs. Nath, and the faculty and staff of the Indiana Senior High School and the East Pike Elementary School, the experience the young adults and children got to undergo was made possible. It allowed the elementary students to experience the maturity and skills of the high school students, and for the senior high students to observe the proficiency of the elementary school students.
Senior Kierra Elkin expressed, “I 100% would go back. It was a good experience to see how different groups of the students at different grade levels processed the questions I asked. It helped me to better understand their processes when thinking, whether they immediately got it, or if they needed the question re-phrased.”
[Photo provided by East Pike Elementary School]
Photo Caption: “The Elementary school students joined with the Public Speaking students and Teachers at the end of the day for a photo.”
Maddie Cribbs
Maddie is a senior and a first year reporter for the High Arrow. She joined The High Arrow to gain the experience of being part of a newspaper team. She looks forward to meeting new people and acting as a reliable source for the publication.