Spectrum School project goes international

SPECTRUM SCHOOL PHOTO The Journal
Spectrum School Student Ambassadors with teachers Rachel Dewes and Marc Chruszch

Spectrum School announced last week the launch of its international project called Empathy for Endangered Animals.

Spectrum School’s Student Ambassadors, sponsored by Meg World Languages, have each become advocates for an endangered species, designing posters and selecting one organization to which they encourage others to donate to save and protect their selected species.

When invited by Meg to design and develop a changemaker project, the students’ shared love of animals became the focus of their work.

Students have taken on real-world roles such as media manager, project manager, web-designer, researcher, and graphic artist to promote the campaign. Several have connected with international organizations to support their advocacy.

They have also worked with a graphic designer in Argentina, who helped refine their art for their posters.

Student posters promote their animal via a Digital Stuffy Campaign. All donors will be acknowledged on their project website at www.spectrumschool.org/efea. Slideshows, videos, and each student’s poster can also be viewed on the website, as well as details for how to donate and support the campaign.

Student Ambassadors have written letters and emails to state, national, and international politicians and leaders to push for stronger laws and enforcement regarding poaching, habitat protection, and pollution. One letter to Senator Dick Durbin said, “I

Spectrum provides a school environment with open-ended approaches to learning. It has been a student-centered, inquiry-based school serving Rockford and northern Illinois for over 50 years. Passion projects, interest groups, themed days, and genius hour are all structures that foster student ownership and deeper learning, and have been part of the Spectrum experience for decades.