Lawn School students show off their genius to their peers

Albert Einstein, the creator of the theory of relativity, once said, “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.”

Seventh- and eighth-grade students at the Lawn School, after six months of working on Genius Hour projects, showcased the earnings from their manual labor during a two-day demonstration June 17–18.

“We have ‘Portrait of a Graduate,’ which are eight key characteristics that we want kids to have when they leave Lawn School,” said Principal Nate Edmunds. “We really try to make sure that those are present in everything we do. Genius Hour really gave us the opportunity to focus on those.”

Students used their ROCK Block classes to work on Genius Hour projects. ROCK classes, which stand for “We Respect, Own It, Rise to Challenges, and Are Kind,” were introduced in the 2022–2023 school year to provide students with time to build the “Portrait of a Graduate” traits outlined in the district’s strategic plan. These traits include the adaptive learner, innovative thinker, effective communicator, and global citizen.

Students were encouraged to pursue their interests and conduct research to create their own Genius Hour project.

Kiley Hutson, 13, showcased her many years of dance experience, including ballet, tap, jazz and hip-hop. Her project included a hanging stand, dance shoes and a visual board.

“I decided to take what I’ve learned over the years and put it together in a presentation,” she said. “I feel like the visuals really helped me understand the concept, what it’s all about.”

Maia Limoges, 15, said her project involved “a lot of artistic, computer and math skills.” Using Google Sheets and a website called Planner 5D, she designed “the house of my dreams that I want to live in.” Her project involved soliciting people on Facebook Marketplace, which she said was her biggest challenge.

“I didn’t give up,” she said.

Emily Clow, 14, created acai smoothie bowls for students to try. Some were made with oat milk and others with fruit juice.

“I had to do a lot of testing and find the right ingredients,” she said. “I was surprised I could make something like this.”

Cooper Andrew, 14, showed off his sketches and drawings, explaining how he transferred them to the computer.

Charles Keller, 14, surprised his peers with his ability to ride a unicycle and juggle at the same time. He had been working on his talents since last summer after being challenged to a bet with his cousin.

Logan Braunohler, 13, used the summer of 2023 to study fantasy. His project involved creative writing and fiction, which inspired him to create his environment.

“I created this huge world from a bunch of books I read, and I created these maps,” he said. “We played a Dungeons & Dragon campaign for a year. After that D&D campaign, I wrote a book. The biggest challenge was making everything make sense, making everything fit together.”

Braunohler not only used his ROCK time to pursue his project, but also brought work home from his weekly classes.

“It was nice to come home on Mondays and do this,” he said.

The project was based on promoting a sense of responsibility for learning. These activities also sparked interest from their classmates, who were motivated to leave notes with their opinions in brown paper bags at each station.

“These projects are student-driven and designed to encourage creativity, strengthen critical thinking, and build student ownership of their own learning,” Edmunds said. “These projects also provide students with a platform to delve into a topic they are truly passionate about and give them the opportunity to share their knowledge.”

“The idea is that they have something that they’re passionate about or interested in or want to know more about, and they can explore that,” said teacher Jenn Kittredge, who worked with the students in their ROCK classes. “It’s student-led, but also teacher-led. Discovering what they need, connecting them with members of the community. Whatever they need for projects.”