by Jeffrey Stanley
On May 9
th, the BFS 7th graders and their teacher chaperones spent the day hosting a group of excited and energetic 1st grade visitors from PS 287. This nearby public school is one of our Horizons at BFS partners.
The purpose of the visit was threefold: to continue strengthening the relationship with one of our Horizons partners, to have our students serve as role models to younger kids in the community, and to help them improve their math skills.
Middle and Upper School Math Chair Fanny Sosenke came up with the idea and oversaw the event. She explained a bit of its history. "We never got the kids from PS 287 to come here," she said, "but we started going there two years ago. We go about three times a year to do math activities with 1st and 2nd graders. Our 7th graders create math games and we donate the games to the school."
Although Fanny is not formally involved with Horizons at BFS, she seized upon what she saw as a good opportunity to spread the word about her greatest passion—numbers—and to do a good deed. But the day wasn't all about math. "7th graders in Dance class and two 12th graders from IB Dance did a short dance performance for them," said Fanny. "Then, Middle and Upper School Dance teacher Jesse Philips-Fein '97 planned a mini-workshop where she paired 7th graders and 1st graders and they did some dance activities."
They also completed a mini-art project led by Fanny and Middle School Math & Science teacher Karima Hassan, and a story hour in which BFS 7th graders brought from home a favorite childhood book to read to the 1st graders, and then gave the books to them as gifts.