Gifted and talented students hard at work in first semester

Byram — Byram’s Intermediate School’s Gifted and Talented classroom has had a busy beginning to the school year. Known as S.E.E.K. (Stimulate, Enrich, Evolve, Kindle), the gifted and talented fifth and sixth grade students have been hard at work. Under the supervision of the new S.E.E.K. teacher, Miss Kimberly Klein, students have been able to learn valuable lessons through hands-on thinking and concentrated learning. During the first quarter, the fifth grade started their own business: “The Byram Cookie Crew: Baking Cookies just for you!” Each team member was separated into one of the following groups: marketing, accounting, recipes/cooking, art directors and packaging/delivery. After the crew marketed their product, they made sure that their pricing was correct. They picked out recipes, organized the cooking, made posters and ordered boxes to package their cookies. Each group member helped out when it came time to bake the 1,150 cookies that were pre-ordered. Within one day, the cookies were baked and packaged, ready to be shipped out. The students enjoyed the real-life learning experience. One student, Joy Holland, said that her favorite part of the experience was the “making and baking cookies!” Rachel Raff ay added that as a member of the recipes/cooking team, she learned to be a smarter consumer. By “checking out the best prices for the ingredients at Sam’s Club,” she learned that the ingredients were sold in bulk, but were not necessarily the cheapest. An extra thanks goes out to the parents of the S.E.E.K. students who helped out with the baking of the cookies as well as donating supplies. JTs Seafood Market, in Wyckoff, also donated additional materials. Each student worked on individual teams, but was always conscious of the big picture. Congratulations to the fifth grade S.E.E.K. class on a very successful business. While the fifth grade was busy down on Earth, the sixth grade S.E.E.K. class prepared for a trip into outer space. During the first quarter, the students completed hands on lesson in preparation for their trip to the Buehler Challenger and Science Center. Located in Paramus, the Challenger Center offers a trip that is out of this world! Dedicated to the memory of the Challenger Crew who tragically perished in 1986, the center runs simulated space missions for middle school children. After an extensive classroom astronaut preparation course, these students were ready to fly! Separated into the Spacecraft and Mission Control, these students learned what it takes to become real astronauts. Completing the Challenger Crew’s mission, the sixth grade students prepared to Rendezvous with Comet Halley. Working together, the sixth grade blasted off and completed their mission with ease. Congratulations on a Mission Accomplished! More information on the Buehler Challenger and Science Center can be found at www.bcsc.org.