Parker Partners Celebrated at Morning Ex

Parker strives to educate students and help them grow inside the classroom and beyond. Faculty dedicate themselves to the growth and development of the whole person to create responsible citizens and leaders. One example of this dedication is the Middle School Parker Partners program.

The program gives students the chance to learn about their community outside the school setting. The goal is for students to move beyond the familiar, explore new situations and interact with a variety of people with open minds and hearts. Recently, the MS gathered to celebrate an incredibly successful year.

“We added the Close Out MX as a way to finish off the year with an opportunity to gather as a whole Middle School and reflect on what the students were able to do collectively,” Dean of Student Life for IS/MS Anthony Shaker shared. “Since the kids are with their small work groups on Parker Partner days, it seemed important to zoom out to better understand what we’re all able to accomplish together. It’s also a chance for them to share with and hear from their peers on the work they completed, the skills they learned, stories from the year and takeaways as they move forward. Lastly, we wanted it to be a joyful celebration of service work and the benefits of a commitment to community action.”

In total, 192 students completed nearly 15 hours of community immersion with 13 partners, under the supervision of 28 faculty and staff members. Participating organizations were Breakthrough, Chicago Children’s Museum, Chicago Furniture Bank, CJE Senior Life, Colonel Civic Band, El Valor, Friendship Center, Greenstar, Little Free Libraries, Night Ministry, Random Acts of Flowers, Story Pirates and Student Council. During the gathering, representatives from each group shared more about their partner, the organization’s work and the impact of this experience on the students and those they helped.

Through exposure to the outside community, Parker Partners gives students an engaging cross-grade experience that provides agency and realization that their thoughtfulness, actions and work make a difference for others outside the confines of the classroom, and they, too, can learn and benefit from interacting with others. As such, Parker Partners is a vital part of the Middle School curriculum, and these students were thrilled to share their experience with their peers.

Click here to read on the impact of each group from the Middle Schoolers themselves.

Click here for photos.