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Tuesday June 13, 2017 Edition
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Addison County Industry And Employment Inquiry Takes Youth Into The Community

MUMS students at TATA Harper.
photo by provided
MUMS students at TATA Harper.
MUMS students at Denecker Chevrolet.
photo by provided
MUMS students at Denecker Chevrolet.
Learning at Blue Spruce Farm.
photo by provided
Learning at Blue Spruce Farm.
Exploring Maple Landmark Woodcraft.
photo by provided
Exploring Maple Landmark Woodcraft.

Tuesday June 13, 2017

By Cookie Steponaitis

In order to deepen our understanding of a concept or our world, we must first take part and participate. The educators at Middlebury Middle School strive to place their students in real-world situations to better understand how they live and how it can be applied to the world in which they live. With that idea in mind, the 8th graders of MUMS recently participated in a unique inquiry called Addison County Industry and Employment. Their mission was to go into the community and experience the diversity and depths of jobs and products. While out and learning, students became familiar with their own towns, the entrepreneurial spirit that defines this region and gave many peaks into career previously known to them.
    While each stop on the tour created a stir with the students two particular favorites were the Blue Spruce Farm in Bridport and TATA Harper Laboratory and farm. Students prepared by watching digital texts, learning vocabulary, and logging predictions about how the farm uses innovative practices and provides jobs. Marie Audet guided the students through the Audet farm and was delighted by the curiosity and reflective questioning of the students. Asked to share her thoughts on the inquiry Audet shared, “These students came to learn. I could barely keep up with their questions! We could have used another hour. It’s always refreshing to see this level of engagement with students about their food, environment and the world in which they will be living and working in.”
    “Many aspects of the inquiry impressed our students, explained MUMS teacher Martha Santa Maria. “Some were excited to see the cows and all the technology involved in farming.  Some were surprised that a car dealership has so many people working at such varied jobs.  For others, they were impressed that one person could grow a toy company and be awarded Vermont’s Small Business Person of the Year, or that a successful organic skin care company grows its ingredients and manufactures its products just down the road from where they live. Their biggest take-away seems to be the recognition that there were similar themes illustrated at each business: the value of work ethic and persistence, education comes in many forms and can be acquired in many ways, and that our business community supports student learning.”
    Wrapping up the inquiry students shared in verbal and written format not only what they had learned, but generated questions relating to their own future plans. MUMS 8th grader Austin shared, “It inspired me to consider mechanics. I have a bunch of ideas about what I can do after college.” Tate shared, “My visit to Blue Spruce inspired me to want to work on their farm”, and Kylee reflected, “These trips have been very educational. I’ve driven by all these places before but never thought about what they can offer us young kids.  I am very moved by everyone I met.  Each person was welcoming and informative.”
    In a world where the goal is often hurry up and get to where you are going, the MUMS students learned a valuable lesson about slowing down, asking questions and seeing the benefits of the people, ingenuity, reflection and industry right here at home, just down the street and the cornerstones of where traditional ideas, technology and work combine to create the new directions of made in Vermont.


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