Charlie Gaiotti walked in circles around mid-court at The Dorset School (TDS) Gymnasium. “I always pace when I’m nervous,” said the eighth grader. “Today I’ll be speaking in front of our largest crowd ever. I don’t want to mess up.”
Spoiler alert: He didn’t — nor did any of his three fellow orators: Shayne Raeburn, Tai Matiku, and Evelyne Martin. The challenge for Charlie and friends was a presentation to the entire TDS student body on what kids in Vermont can do to protect the environment. The assembly, which was staged in two sessions on March 8th, was the latest information sharing effort by the Student Organization for Understanding Liberty (S.O.U.L.)
The creation of S.O.U.L was the brainchild of eighth grader Evelyne Martin. “Over a year ago I was feeling that students should have a way to be active on issues important to our future,” Martin says. “I was frustrated and felt a need to do something. I spoke to a few of my friends who agreed and the result was S.O.U.L.”
The students decided to focus their task on providing information on important topics to fellow classmates of all grades at TDS. “We want to educate people with facts so they can make better decisions,” Matiku says.
They took their idea to Principal Rosanna Moran, who rewarded the student-led effort with a fixed slot each week on their academic schedule. To guide their work, Moran assigned Spanish teacher Diego Uribe to serve as a faculty adviser. When the Friday time slot is not sufficient, the students find ways to gather informally at school throughout the week to move their work forward.
Each trimester S.O.U.L. selects issues to explore. Past topics have included Women’s History Month and Black History Month, plus the work of young student activists like Ruby Bridges (civil rights), Sophia Kianni (environment), and Autumn Pelitier (clean water & indigenous rights). After conducting their research, S.O.U.L. showcases their findings to students in classroom discussions.
For the 2024 winter trimester grand finale, however, S.O.U.L. elected to take their presentation on protecting the Vermont environment to the big stage: the TDS school gymnasium. To prepare for their big moment, S.O.U.L. talked to local professionals both in person and on Zoom to learn about what Vermont is doing to preserve our natural habitat.
To effectively deliver their message, they created a tailored program for two different audiences. One for younger elementary students from kindergarten through grade four and a second for older students in grades 5-8.
Each gathering included two segments. The group’s first element featured a powerpoint presentation, complete with animated graphics, that provided information related to the environment: definition of terms, such as biodiversity; sources of wasteful phantom energy usage (plugged in phone chargers with no phone attached); walk and ride bicycles instead of traveling by car; carpooling when driving is necessary; what can and cannot be recycled: switching to LED lights; and much more. In both sessions the speakers asked questions to make the audience part of the presentation.
The second segment was a game designed for each specific audience. The middle schoolers were divided into six groups of a dozen each for a game of Environmental Jeopardy. S.O.U.L. presenters posed questions to the audience and the first cohort of kids to press their buzzer was given the floor to answer. It was a raucous, fast-paced game — just like S.O.U.L. expected.
For the younger crowd, S.O.U.L. created a new game that would connect with a younger audience: “Would you rather?” For example, “Would you rather compost a banana peel or throw it in the garbage?” The students then voted with their feet. Those for garbage headed to one side of the gym and youngsters that chose compost toward the other.
“The kids in both assemblies, even the little ones, really paid attention,” Raeburn says. “I think they listened and learned.”
When asked what’s next for S.O.U.L. in the spring trimester, Martin wasted no time. “Inclusion,” she said. “Everyone needs to be respected, included, and heard.”
These students definitely have S.O.U.L.
(Photo above: S.O.U.L. presenters (L-R) Tai Matiku, Evelyne Martin, Charlie Gaiotti, and Shayne Raeburn.)
Dorset School eighth grader Ashley Francis leads her team in the Jeopardy Game at the S.O.U.L. middle school assembly on the environment.
TDS students from kindergarten through 4th grade respond to questions on protecting Vermont’s environment at the S.O.U.L. assembly.
Evelyne Martin takes questions from the audience of K-4th graders at the TDS S.O.U.L. Assemble on protecting Vermont’s environment.