As the education beat photo editor for the Columbia Missourian I helped facilitate the publication of 5 stories profiling lottery schools in the Columbia Public Schools system. I connected with reporters to schedule photo opportunities, communicated with school administrators to gain access, briefed photographers on how to approach these assignments, and ultimately created an edit and toned my selected images. Selects for each story are below, as well as a link to the Columbia Missourian website to view the published stories.
BENTON ELEMENTARY
SPECIALTY: STEM
Amity Freiman, a farm to school educator with Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture, leads an interactive activity with a compost exploration table at a STEAM night event on May 7 at Benton STEM Elementary School in Columbia. “We like to be involved in our local school,” said Philip Long, father of Benton third grader Evie Long, 7. “She loves science-y stuff and getting her hands dirty.”
Benton first grader Lucas Borgmann, 6, builds a robot with his mother, Elizabeth Lightle, at a STEAM night event on May 7 at Benton STEM Elementary School in Columbia. “We’re here because we’re having fun, I think,” Lucas said.
From left, Addyson Knight, Jefferson Middle School sixth grader and Benton alum, participates in the “Save Fred” activity with family friend Chelsea Kinner at a STEAM night event on May 7 at Benton STEM Elementary School in Columbia. “I wanted to come back (for this event) because this place was like home,” Addyson said.
From left, Benton first grader Kalani Reynolds, 7, and her brother, Benton fifth grader Kindrick Reynolds, 10, make marble paintings at a STEAM night event on May 7 at Benton STEM Elementary School in Columbia. Kalani, Kindrick and their mother always attend the STEAM night events to support the community.
From right, Benton first grader Sophia Newman, 7, makes a black bear footprint mold with her aunt, Tayla Sorge, at a STEAM night event on May 7 at Benton STEM Elementary School in Columbia. Sophia’s mother Hilary Newman said they go to all the STEAM night events.
Amity Freiman, a farm to school educator with Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture shows off a roly-poly at a STEAM night event on May 7 at Benton STEM Elementary School in Columbia. Freiman explained that roly-polies are not insects, and are actually crustaceans.
Asher Allmon, 4, reacts while holding Pluto, a ball python that belongs to the Jefferson Middle School Zoo, on May 7 at Benton STEM Elementary School in Columbia. Asher’s mother, Kelci Allmon, a fourth grade teacher at Benton, said they have a leopard gecko at home and now also want a snake.
From right, Benton kindergartner Oliver Dace, 6, shows off his Lego creation to his mother, Benton fifth grade teacher Sidney Dace and Benton speech pathologist Vicky Van den Berghe during a STEAM night event on, May 7 at Benton STEM Elementary School in Columbia. Oliver said his favorite activity was the Legos. “I’m gonna miss you,” Oliver said to the Legos.
SPECIALTY: AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION
Abby Meeds, the vocal music teacher at Two Mile Prairie Elementary School, leads the Cotton Eye Joe Line Dance on March 19 at Two Mile Prairie Elementary School. “We do a number of different folk dances from around the world,” Meeds said. “We’ve got a lot of Irish folk dances. We’ve got some dances from South America and Africa as well.”
From left, Lily Zimmermann, 5, and Elliana Gonzales, 5, pose during the hootenanny on March 19 at Two Mile Prairie Elementary School in Columbia. The hootenanny had a Wild West theme and a matching photo booth in which attendees could take photos with themed accessories.
Milo Varvaro, 2, center, sits on John Varvaro’s shoulders as Principal Amanda Bruckerhoff serves food to Matt McDerman on March 19 at Two Mile Prairie Elementary School. John Varvaro tasted drop biscuits and crockpot strawberry jam made by the third graders. “They are really great,” John Varvaro said.
Shane Richard, 10, front, and Bryton Bradley, 9, score their homemade biscuits and gravy on March 19 at Two Mile Prairie Elementary School. Students cooked a variety of foods including biscuits and gravy, whipped cream and cinnamon, and strawberry frosting.
Two Mile Prairie fourth grade teacher Ashley Gonzales serves homemade sausage gravy to Jade Warnke, 9, for the school’s hootenanny event. The school’s hootenanny invites families of students to try their homemade food and see a line-dancing performance by students.
From left, Lindsey Mueller, Suzanne Jackson and Melissa Moore prepare for the hootenanny on March 19 at Two Mile Prairie Elementary School. Mueller teaches third grade, Jackson teaches second-grade and Moore works for Two Mile Prairie as a custodian.
Two Mile Prairie Elementary School grows its own lettuce in a tower garden. The school was recently designated as a “lottery status school,” allowing a limited number of students across Columbia Public Schools to enroll in the school’s agriculture program.
Ethan Childers, 10, watches as his classmate whips homemade whipped cream on March 19 at Two Mile Prairie Elementary School. The whipped cream is made out of heavy whipping cream, sugar and butter.
SPECIALTY: EXPRESSIVE ARTS
Grayson Tawfall, 8, explains his research on NBA player Jayson Tatum at the art gallery on March 20 at Locust Street Expressive Arts Elementary in Columbia. Grayson created a playlist for his project with some of his favorite musical artists.
Karis Donnelly, 8, explains her artwork at the art gallery on March 20 at Locust Street Expressive Arts Elementary in Columbia. Karis brought a guitar to the showcase and came dressed as Margaret Thatcher.
Principal Samantha Adams hugs another third grade teacher Lindsey Woodcock at the art gallery on March 20 at Locust Street Expressive Arts Elementary School in Columbia. “I love seeing how proud the kids are of their work,” Woodcock said.
Meg Tummons' and Lindsey Woodcock’s third grade classes come together for the art gallery on March 20 at Locust Street Expressive Arts Elementary in Columbia. Parents had 30 minutes to converse with the students about their artwork and research.
Ilyas Garayev, 8, and Malakai Hazlett, 8, show their art to their parents at the school’s art gallery on March 20 at Locust Street Expressive Arts Elementary in Columbia. The showcase was followed with a lunch.
Third graders showcase their work at an art gallery on March 20 at Locust Street Expressive Arts Elementary in Columbia. “Our learning is expanded because it doesn’t just live in the four walls of our classroom,” said Samantha Adams, principal at Locust Street.
SPECIALTY: INDIVIDUALLY GUIDED EDUCATION
Physical education teacher Elizabeth Simmons, left, supervises a game with Lachlen Alvis, 7, and classmates on April 16 at Ridgeway Elementary School. Principal Taryn Brinlee said having students of varying ages in the same class helps older students develop leadership skills through interaction with the younger students.
From left, Benjamin Schubert, 7, and Zachary Johnson, 5, practice their folk dance during music class on April 16 at Ridgeway Elementary School. This unit of students performed their dance for other students and staff in mid-April for the school’s folk dance day. Ridgeway, Columbia’s oldest lottery school, focuses on the idea of collaboration between grades.
Instructional mentor Laura Sandstedt works with Wren Ritzo, 10, in a one-on-one meeting on April 16 at Ridgeway Elementary School. Principal Taryn Brinlee said teachers work closer with individual students and provide more small group instruction due to how they structure their intervention and small group reading blocks.
Caroline Karnes, 6, draws during art class on April 16 at Ridgeway Elementary School. Ridgeway Elementary has a multi-age learning program, where students meet in small groups to do more focused learning every morning.
Benjamin Denzel, 6, works on his “Pop Art Pups” art project on April 16 at Ridgeway Elementary School. The artwork created by students is showcased at the school’s art show at the end of the school year.
EMPHASIS: STEAM
Students fill their watering cans before a Landscaping for Wildlife lesson on April 21 at Jefferson Middle School. This class has planted the majority of the plants on the south side of the building.
Sixth grader Bryan Gerlach pulls out a weed under a tree during a Landscape for Wildlife lesson April 21 at Jefferson Middle School. “They are learning how to measure garden beds,” said Sondra Smith, the teacher of the class. “How to figure out square footage, how to deal with invasive species and how to design a garden area.”
Sixth grader Naia Stoutz digs into the soil during a Landscape for Wildlife lesson on April 21 at Jefferson Middle School in Columbia. “It’s a really fun class. I really like it,” Stoutz said. “And I have a lot of friends in this class.”
