The State College Area School District’s Delta Middle and High School Program is a local shining star when it comes to giving back to the community, caring for those in need, and fostering a sense of shared responsibility in its students.
Led by administrator Dr. Jon Downs, the Delta Middle and High School Program is a community-oriented, democratic school fostering choice, voice, and diversity of thought in order to develop engaged citizens and inspired leaders. The program prides itself for offering many volunteer and community service activities to improve both the school and greater community.
Students volunteer throughout the year in the community, participate in planned days of volunteer work such as the Day of Caring, volunteer to be part of school committees focusing on kindness and wellness, and are able to enroll in courses that focus on positive psychology.
With regard to student-led endeavors, the Kindness Committee is facilitated by staff member Scott Owens and run by student ambassadors. With a mission of spreading examples and reminders of kindness as well as occasional random acts of kindness for students and staff, this committee has continued to foster a sense of community at Delta.
Teachers within the program possess a shared vision of community as well as a profound aspiration to be responsive to their students so much so that sometimes, entire courses are devised based on student interest.
In fact, Delta social studies teacher Dr. Paul McCormick heard that students wanted a psychology course in middle school, so he drew upon his brief work in the field of positive psychology to develop a course called “The Pursuit of Happiness.”
The course invited students to think about what is going well in their lives, doing the things that bring them fulfillment and expressing gratitude to loved ones. One of the activities McCormick borrowed was the “gratitude assignment,” which challenged his students to write a sincere “thank you” to someone who has positively affected their life. The assignment was to stand in front of the person, face to face, and express gratitude for their impact on the student’s life. Students found themselves having meaningful conversations with parents, coaches, friends, and relatives as a result of this simple, yet challenging act.
The class conversations about students’ experiences in completing this assignment were equally as rich and rewarding.
These endeavors, as well as so many more, make Delta a program that fosters an attitude of gratitude in its students. According to Dr. Downs, “Showing appreciation, acknowledging kindness, and celebrating thoughtful actions helps to create a culture of community at our school.”
