Charles Wright Middle School Students Celebrate Annual Experiential Learning Tradition

Tacoma, Wash. – Last week, Middle School students attending Charles Wright Academy set aside their regular studies and embarked on Middle School Days. The annual event has been offered continuously for almost 40 years and continues to be one of the most popular experiences for both students and faculty today.  

During Middle School Days, all regular classes are suspended and students instead spend the school days participating in courses and workshops on a range of activities in the fields of art, fashion, science, sport and fitness, culture, technology, design, outdoor education, culinary arts and more. 
Why take students out of school for what seems like mere fun and games?

“It’s more than that,” says Sam Harris, Middle School librarian and the program’s chief coordinator. “They certainly have fun, but Middle School Days really is a part of the curriculum. This year students will snowshoe for the first time; learn the basics of animal training and a few lucky ones will get a once-in-a-lifetime tour of a nuclear submarine at Bangor Naval Base.

Learning happens, just not in the classroom.” Middle School is a unique time in a young person’s life. In preparation for the academic independence that will be absolutely necessary in high school and college, children go beyond the facts by learning to inquire, think critically, write analytically, and to make a case and defend it. Our goal is to develop self-reliant, resilient, and compassionate students who know how to find fulfillment throughout their lives.“They want more freedom and responsibilities. Parents and educators alike will tell you the challenge is meeting your child or student where they are, while encouraging them to grow. You’re working not just on academic knowledge, but also fostering emotional intelligence and greater independence. All of these things are vital to long term success,” says Rudy Ford, head of the Middle School.

This year’s activities included:
·         Comic Cover
·         DigiPen
·         Discover Diving
·         Emerald City Trapeze
·         EMP, Pike Place Market, and the Monorail
·         Gone to the Dogs
·         Horsing Around 101
·         Iron Chef CWA
·         Kayaking in Gig Harbor
·         Paintball and Risk
·         Snoqualmie Snowshoe
·         Japanese Cooking
·         Mangia, Mangia! La Cucina Italiana
·         Mountain Biking
·         Nuclear Submarine Tour
·         Reverse Glass Painting
·         Thrift Shopping
·         Cake Decorating
·         Chambers Bay 18 Holes
·         Day of Beauty 
·         Executive Chef Excursion
·         Rock 'n' Game Day


You can see photos and learn more about Middle School Days here.