Picture this: a bunch of kids, each with their own quirks, ideas, and deadlines, thrown into the whirlwind of a new inquiry cycle. Throw in the showcase itself, with over 150 audience members, a huge screen and a real stage, and the evening is completely run by students. From the introductions to the props to the backstage management. Sounds like a recipe for chaos. Yet, our forty 6-14 year olds students at Indi-ED defied the odds and nailed it, year after year! How? Teamwork!
It’s certainly a journey of ups and downs. Laughs, cries, excitement, apprehension, but at the end of the process, watching these amazing young humans work together to produce an excellent show is the real world work that we want them to work towards and through.
Our students are as diverse as a box of crayons. There are the organized ones who color-code everything, the brainstormers who never run out of wild ideas, the tech-savvy kiddos who could whip up a killer presentation or fix a computer issue in their sleep, and the free spirits, the kids who keep everyone motivated and entertained. Each one brought something unique to the table, and that’s what makes us unstoppable.
Deadlines looming over their heads, they manage it. Conflicting schedules, they learn to work around them. The occasional creative differences, healthy opportunities to learn how to collaborate. They rolled up their sleeves, got it done, and walked away proud.
All of the preparations made way for the moments of pure brilliance. Like when our initially soft-spoken student who barely spoke, stepped up to that mic and blew us away with their presentation skills. Or when our eighth graders reflected on their time with us, expressed their gratitude, and brought the room to tears in how much they’ve grown. These and many more moments remind me why Indi-ED is so special.
So here’s to teamwork! Here’s to laughter, tears, and everything in between. Because when we come together, there’s nothing we can’t achieve.