Falls Lake Academy Mission Statement Analysis

“Falls Lake Academy seeks to create a challenging learning environment while striving to meet the academic, social, and emotional needs of our 21st century learners to prepare them for citizenship, leadership, and success in a rapidly changing world. Our school promotes a safe, orderly, caring and supportive community. Each student's self-esteem is fostered by positive relationships with students and staff. We strive to have our parents, teachers, and community members actively involved in our student's learning” (fallslakeacademy.com 2017). The Falls Lake Academy mission statement shows that FLA is not only interested in their students knowing the material being taught, but also to prepare students for the future to ensure that their graduates

“It is therefore vital that we encourage our youth to become involved through federal incentives or even at the idea of personal growth.” (Ryan 2012). By encouraging students to do complete community service the students are urged to go out into the community, socialize and possibly form new relationships. This will help students form leadership skills, much better, active citizen and as well as giving them a feeling of having done something positive. A quote from FLA Board member helps to explain why FLA chose to make community service a requirement, “The community service requirement at Falls Lake gives students a chance to understand the importance of helping others. They have a unique opportunity to learn each time they participate in community service. They will feel the satisfaction they get from helping someone. They also learn that even one person can make a difference. They, in turn, understand that they can make a difference. This will help them become better leaders, community members and citizens as a whole. Understanding that everyone is different but we all benefit when we come together to make a difference” (Fields 2017). While instilling leadership skills, community service also helps in teaching students to work with others, that skill is vital since FLA is a Project-Based Learning

“After completing a project, students understand content more deeply, remember what they learn and retain it longer than is often the case with traditional instruction. Because of this, students who gain content knowledge with PBL are better able to apply what they know and can do to new situations” (“Why Project Based Learning”, Buick Institute for Education 2017). The Buick Institute for Education is a grand supporter of PBL learning, they strongly believe that PBL is the most effective way of learning by making school more engaging to students, building success skills for college, career, life and connecting what students learned to the real world. “In PBL classrooms, students demonstrate improved attitudes toward learning. They exhibit more engagement, are more self-reliant, and have better attendance than in more traditional settings” (Thomas, 2000; Walker & Leary, 2009). Motivating students to learn is one of the biggest problems faced in schools, with PBL learning students learn while doing compared to sitting behind a desk and listening to a teacher give lectures. Team collaboration is a big part of PBL work, by working with other individuals closely students learn leadership skills, collaborative skills which in return will prepare them for the “real world.” Teamwork seems to be