On Tuesday, June 2, members of Wallace Middle School’s Talented and Gifted Program (FOCUS) visited Central Connecticut State University and attended a series of workshops along with students from varying grades across the state. The workshops were part of a meeting known as “Dreams Take Flight.” The workshops ranged from Gemstone Jewelry to Robotics 101. The seven FOCUS students were: Selmon Rafey, Gabriel Mobley, Jorna Sojati, Anxheliki Duro, Shayla Biello, Lillian Rivera, and Temeyra Ramos.We listened to a keynote address from famous musician and activist Peter Yarrow of the 1960s folk group Peter, Paul, and Mary. With Leonard Lipton, Yarrow co-wrote “Puff, the Magic Dragon,” the group's most famous song.
Reflecting on Mr. Yarrow's presentation, Shayla said: "It was a thrilling experience to witness other students of different races, ages, and grades experiencing their feelings about respect and bullying in front of people they don't know with Mr. Yarrow."
Jorna said: "It definitely takes a lot of guts to go up and share your thoughts and ideas with Mr. Yarrow--and I'm just so glad I got to be a part of that experience."
Click here for more about Mr. Yarrow's work.
Thanks to Selmon Rafey for drafting this post.