Northeast Middle School/Spark-Y Shark Tank Event

Exciting things are going on with science and sustainability education at Northeast Middle School! On January 13, elected officials, including Council Member Reich and Mayor Hodges, and district leaders converged on the school to learn more about a student-proposed solution to the issue of food deserts in Minneapolis. Teams of students presented aquaponics plans, Shark Tank-style, for the panelists.

The event was spurred by the work Northeast Middle School science students are doing with Spark-Y, a local non-profit that employs interdisciplinary curriculum with hands-on agriculture education. In the First Ward, Spark-Y has been working with both Northeast Middle School and Edison High School students on aquaponics and other urban agriculture projects.

A Green Campus for Northeast Middle School

You may have noticed the recent transformation of the Northeast Middle School parking lot that fronts on 29th Avenue in the Audubon neighborhood. Inspired by Edison High School's Green Campus, Minneapolis Public Schools, Northeast Middle School (NEMS) and the Audubon Neighborhood Association (ANA) have teamed up with Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO) to turn a large portion of the school's asphalt parking lot into a sustainably landscaped green space that will more effectively manage stormwater while also giving students a new curriculum resource. (Pictured at left: NEMS parking lot before the project).

Audubon Neighborhood Association applied for a planning grant from MWMO at the end of 2014 to create a water sustainability project that they could implement in collaboration with the school. Once a design was in place to remove 16,200 square feet of impermeable pavement and install a large raingarden, they applied for and received an action grant from MWMO.

The newly completed raingarden will clean stormwater run-off while also providing hands-on environmental learning opportunities for students. For more photos and information about this project, please click HERE. (Pictured at right: NEMS project just completed). 

Congrats to the Theater Departments of Edison and Northeast Middle School

The second weekend in December was a stellar occasion for theater goers on the Eastside, with two fine school productions occurring simultaneously.

Edison High School presented "Working!", a musical based on Studs Terkel's oral history collection of stories from people of all walks of life. The full title of Terkel's book is "Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do" and his subjects range from film critics to janitors, receptionists to farmers. "Working" was adapted as a musical in 1977. In addition to his writing, Terkel worked as a broadcaster for 45 years. For more information about his work, visit http://studsterkel.org/

Northeast Middle School's theater department, which has been producing some very ambitious plays recently including last year's "Peter Pan", mounted "Shining Princess of the Slender Bamboo". This dramatized folktale was highlighted by a lovely set and truly magical lighting design. If you missed either of these opportunities to see some of the Eastside's youngest generation of thespians, stay tuned for information about their upcoming spring productions.

Eastside School News

Nailah Heard

PeaceMaker Award Nomination
Edison High School student Nailah Heard has been nominated for the PeaceMaker award for her leadership role in preventing youth violence and promoting peace.

Mississippi Stewardship Project
Edison’s International Baccalaureate Biology students recently capped the completion of their Mississippi Stewardship project by teaming up with Marcy Open’s 1st & 2nd grade classes for a field trip to Kroening Nature Center.

NEMS at State National History Day Competition
Northeast Middle School 8th graders Nivea Vang and Nadija Hunt took 1st place at the regional History Day competition for their performance “The Great Leaders of the Women’s Suffrage Movement” and advanced to represent NEMS at the state level.

NE Showcase

Come take a closer look at the Public Schools in Northeast Minneapolis. If you are pondering your child’s school options or just want more information about what public education in our community has to offer, be sure to attend this fun event on Saturday, November 13, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Edison High School Community Gym, 700 22nd Avenue NE. There will be plenty of free activities for parents and kids. The following schools will be represented:

• Edison High School (9-12)
• NE Middle School (6-8)
• Marcy Open School Magnet (K-8)
• Pillsbury Community School (PK-5)
• Sheridan Arts Magnet (PK-8)
• Waite Park Community School (PK-5)

As an added bonus, the newly relocated Morris Park Players will be performing “Annie” on the Edison stage at 2 p.m. on November 13. Watch for Edison students and staff in the cast. For further information about tickets and reservations, call 612-724-8373 or reserve online: http://www.morrisparkplayers.org/tickets/ Come for the Showcase, stay for the show!