Photo by Lester Smith
Two visiting teachers offer a vigorous presentation at Suffield Middle School on November 7 to reinforce the school’s Wingman program. With mike: Ryan Parker; with drum: Justin Lopez. Both teach in Manchester, Parker at Illing Middle School, Lopez at Manchester High.
The Wingman Program at Suffield Middle School, which was introduced there this fall, got a big boost on November 7. According to a school press release, goals for this Wingman Takeover Day were to “motivate the student body to have perseverance, set goals, be confident, manage stress, and cope with the stressors they have from outside of school.” The day started as an extended assembly presentation for the whole student body, led by two young teachers from Manchester who are skilled performers and powerful motivational speakers. They held their audience well, especially when Ryan Parker launched a 20-minute fast rap, supported by various tempos and beats from the persuasive drum of his associate Justin Lopez.
The teaching staff, all in white “Wingman” T-shirts reading “We’ve Got Your Back,” stood in the side aisles and at the rear, while Principal Damon Pearce sat near the center in the same T-shirt, surrounded by all of his students. There were lots of happy smiles.
Finishing the assembly program, the Wingman Committee – eight kids comprising the “Flight Crew” who had planned the day – announced the first batch of awardees: six students whose activities for the last eight weeks had shown them to be notable Wingmen. They were Nico Corbert, Tia MacDonald, Joe Rusnock, Elijah Armstrong, Jakob Potter, and Riley Webb; all were well applauded.
The committee had arranged for a number of students from Suffield High to help with Wingman; these were National Honor Society members from the upper grades and freshmen recommended by Principal Pearce from his knowledge of them as eighth graders last year. These helpers held Wingman tutoring sessions with current eighth graders in small-group sessions. The eighth graders then held sessions with seventh graders, and the seventh graders did the same with the sixth. The message was reinforced all along, more than likely with tutors learning as much as their tutees.
Special Wingman Takeover Days are to be held throughout the school year.