Expeditionary Learning Mentor School Polaris Charter Academy's Peacekeepers Project Makes National Debut

CHICAGO and NEW YORK, Sept. 17, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- A project focusing on neighborhood peace powered by students of Polaris Charter Academy, an Expeditionary Learning (EL) Mentor and Credentialed School in Chicago, made its national broadcast debut last week.

The Polaris Peacekeepers project was spotlighted in a commercial free, one-hour telecast across all four networks – ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX to launch Think It Up, the Entertainment Industry Foundation's (EIF) new education initiative. Entertainment luminaries including Kristen Bell, Stephen Colbert, Scarlett Johansson, Matthew McConaughey, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeremy Renner, Ryan Seacrest, and Jessica Williams took part in the broadcast.

The Polaris project focused on promoting peace in the school's West Humboldt Park neighborhood and started with an in depth look at the Constitution, investigating different amendments and gun laws. The fact that more than 95% of Polaris students have had contact with gun violence inspired them to take action. The students authored a book, The Peacekeepers of Chicago, created public service announcements about gun violence, and hosted a Day of Peace.

"In every neighborhood that we focused on, there was a citywide day of peace in what the year before had been the most violent day of the year," said Michelle Navarre, Polaris' Head of School.  

The Peacekeepers project is featured in the world's largest collection of exemplary student work – Models of Excellence: The Center for High Quality Student Work – curated by EL and the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

"The EL model was the vehicle through which our students were able to think critically about and pose solutions for the deeply concerning reality of violence in our community. Instead of feeling overwhelmed and powerless in the face of this problem, the students engaged in a learning process that provided the incredible opportunity to learn from positive role models in the community and share their stories, solutions, and voices," Navarre said. "Doing more than they thought was possible, our students realized their own power as young agents of change. As part of the Think It Up launch, we hope our work inspires other schools to develop their own projects to improve their communities."

Polaris was one of five schools on the telecast that helped launch EIF's initiative on thinkitup.org, a first-of-its-kind platform to fund student-powered, teacher-led learning projects in partnership with DonorsChoose.org, the popular teacher crowdfunding charity. As a national leader in project-based learning, EL was recruited to be an educational advisor over the next three years to the Think It Up campaign and the DonorsChoose.org funding platform. EL will help provide structures and models to guide students and teachers toward creating work of quality.

"The Peacekeepers project shows how teacher-led student work can have a meaningful impact within a school and community. It is an example of the collective vision of students and teachers working together in a new model of education that is the cornerstone of EL schools across the country. This approach, centering around making the world a better place, gives students purpose that ignites learning and provides the deeper learning skills they need to succeed in school, work and life," said Scott Hartl, President & CEO of Expeditionary Learning.

About Polaris Charter Academy
Polaris Charter Academy is an innovative elementary charter school serving the West Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago. The mission of Polaris Charter Academy is to educate students to be self-motivated, creative, critical thinkers, with the ultimate goal of shaping life-long learners and citizens with a strong sense of personal and civic responsibility.

Polaris pursues this goal through an innovative school design that includes a strong school culture with a clear values system (the Five Points of Polaris – Integrity, Compassion, Critical Thinking, Exploration and Active Citizenship). Polaris culture supports all students in knowing more and doing more through thoughtful, individualized instruction. As Chicago's first Expeditionary Learning School, Polaris develops Learning Expeditions as an in-depth, hands-on approach to teaching social-studies and science. For more information, visit http://www.pcachicago.org.

About Expeditionary Learning
Expeditionary Learning is a leading K-12 education non-profit that is meeting the national challenge to raise student achievement. Combining challenging work with the joy of discovery and pride in mastery, EL offers the education we would want for every child: one that prepares citizens with both the skills and the character necessary for success throughout college, work and life.

Our portfolio of instructional materials and coaching services draws on 20+ years of success in more than 150 EL schools, serving 4,000 teachers and 53,000 students in 31 states and Washington D.C. Based on founding principles of meaningful work, character and respect for teachers, EL's offerings transform teaching and learning to promote habits of scholarship and character that lead to high student achievement, regardless of student background. In addition to success on standardized tests, EL students demonstrate critical thinking, intellectual courage and emotional resilience; they possess the passion and the capacity to contribute to a better world. For more information, visit http://elschools.org.

Contact:  
Carolyn Talaske at Polaris Charter Academy, [email protected], 708-271-3957
April Hattori at Expeditionary Learning, [email protected], 212-239-4455, x150

SOURCE Expeditionary Learning; Polaris Charter Academy

Related Links

http://www.pcachicago.org