Local students build model 'society'

Photo courtesy Cunningham Elementary

Students at Cunningham Elementary School recently established a government, held elections and are preparing to declare a name for their civilization. The students' efforts are part of a project-based learning strategy taking root at Cunningham, the first school in AISD to implement a MicroSociety, Principal Amy Lloyd said.

MicroSociety Inc., a Philadelphia-based organization, has had its after-school program implemented at more than 200 schools throughout the nation, Lloyd said.

Students establish a "little society" within the school that includes a government, commerce, a banking system and a culture, said Pamela Martin, Cunningham counselor and after-school MicroSociety director. She explained MicroSociety is a practical application of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills standards mandated by the state.

"Basically through application, what you do is you bring those TEKS alive in a way that's relevant to kids," she said.

The school this year partnered with Circle C Child Development Center and A+ Federal Credit Union to launch the after-school program, Lloyd said.

Companies can partner with the school; for example, A+ sends a representative weekly to talk with students about financial literacy and help strengthen their math skills, Lloyd said. In 2013, MicroSociety became the school's only after-school program, and in November teachers received training on how to incorporate the program into their curriculum.

"It's always been our purpose to prepare kids for real life," Martin said, adding the MicroSociety helps children link their interests and talents to their education in a meaningful way that contributes to their understanding of careers and community.

More information about the program is available at www.cunninghamcobras.com.