ESE Makes an IMPACT on Middle School Students
By: Ben Johnson

Beginning this fall semester middle school students throughout the Carmel Clay School district will be offered an invaluable opportunity to gain professional experience. Middle school students will work with elementary students in an after-school setting at one of the eleven Extended School Enrichment (ESE) programs. The IMPACT program, which is an acronym for Initiative, Motivation, Professionalism, Achievement, Compassion, and Teamwork, seeks to instill the character traits (previously listed) through active involvement in a professional manner. IMPACT members are regarded as pseudo-staff members, as the expectations for each member are much closer to that of an adult staff member than that of a student in the ESE program. 

The first step for the IMPACT program is to contact Jennifer Sewell, ESE Assistant Recreation Supervisor, to set up an interview. If selected, the middle school student will be assigned to an elementary school (that feeds into the corresponding middle school). Assignments are listed below:

Creekside Middle School – West Clay, College Wood, Towne Meadow, and Orchard Park
Carmel Middle School – Smoky Row, Carmel E, Mohawk Trails, Cherry Tree
Clay Middle School – Prairie Trace, Woodbrook, Forest Dale

Transportation will be provided by the school district (via school bus) from the middle school to the assigned elementary school.

On a bi-monthly basis IMPACT members from the various elementary schools will have the opportunity to network with each other at our professional development sessions. At each of the bi-monthly sessions we will work on pertinent professional skills. Some of the topics that will be discussed and practiced will be resume writing, interviewing, and phone etiquette. The professional development sessions are a primary focus of the IMPACT program and provide each and every IMPACT member with significant practical skills that will be utilized in the workforce on an everyday basis. 

The IMPACT program was established in the summer of 2007 and was an amazing success in its first summer of existence. The school year version of IMPACT will incorporate many of the same components of the successful version, with the only significant difference being the homework component for the middle school members. Each IMPACT member will have the opportunity to work on his or her homework for approximately one hour (if needed) each day of the program. The cost for the IMPACT program is stated below:

$425 Entire School Year (may start immediately – pending initial interview)
$200 Fall Semester Only
$300 Spring Semester Only

If interested, please call Jennifer Sewell @ 317.429.7466