Middle School Student Newsletter, 4/5/19

I hope everyone had a wonderful April Fools’ Day. We did!

Middle School will be back at the Coastal Growers Market this Saturday from 9am – 12pm. For the first time, Narrow River Naturals will be selling…lotion bars! Of course we will still be selling candles as well. A lotion bar is a block of solid lotion that is easily applied when warmed by the heat of your hands. The lotion bars are made by melting oil and beeswax together than adding shea butter and a scent. When it is all melted together, we pour the mixture into our molds and let it harden and cure. We are excited to bring this plastic free alternative to the market!

It was a pleasure to have Nancy Jo Snider, a professional cellist, here at Quest for three days. On the last day that Nancy Jo was here, she played music composed by the Lower El, Upper El, and Middle School students. Antonio, our amazing music teacher, played the piano parts of the Middle School’s compositions. Every composition was beautiful and very well played. We thank Nancy Jo for playing for us and letting us learn about her inspiring talent.

Last Friday the class went to the Stadium Theater in Woonsocket to see classmate, Lili, play the lead role in Peter Pan. She was the star of the show and blew the crowd away. The entire musical was a wonderful production. It had battles, singing, magic, faires, and flying! The costumes were beautiful and realistic, and the collaboration of the talented performers made the play unforgettable.

Now that our greenhouse is up and running, the middle school is hard at work growing microgreens. The microgreens will be sold to the Quest community later this month. Pricing will be $4 for a small bag and $6 for a large bag. There will be the three types, spicy, silk road, and mild. We will keep you updated about when and how to purchase our tasty and healthy microgreens.

The latest Humanities unit started out strong with a examination of the Taino culture native to the Caribbean. The Taino were the people who greeted Columbus when he “discovered” the New World. This was followed by activities that really helped us understand what life was like from other perspectives during the Age of Exploration. One exercise was a simulation where each student had a different role on a ship, and we learned about the challenges and rewards of sailing the seas. Another was an escape room where we decoded a passcode by using keys and information about the Columbian Exchange. We also studied primary sources relating to the experiences of enslaved Africans during this time.