21 CCLC MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAMS
EMPOWERING TEENS
EMPOWERING TEENS
There are several activities that are included in the Newcastle 21 CCLC Middle School Program Empowering Teens provided by the 21st Century Community Learning grant. We strive to meet the interests of as many students as we can. We provide many activities such as Art Club, Culinary Club, STEM Club, IMPACT Community Service Club, Empowering Teens Blazing Bulletin, Drama Club, and Robotics. Many of these clubs will run throughout the whole school year, however, some, such as Robotics and Drama Club, will run for only a few months to fulfill culminating events such as competitions or performances. Throughout the month of December, we try to embrace the holiday season and focus on completing holiday objectives. Art Club
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Haley HimrichMiddle School Site Coordinator
6th-8th Grade Adult Mentor |
Culinary Club
The Culinary Club is something that many students at NMS enjoy. We begin the year by using the Charlie Cart Curriculum that provides students with lessons about how to use cooking tools and explore different cultures. Students are encouraged to try the many different healthy recipes within the Charlie Cart Curriculum. After using the Charlie Cart Curriculum, students are given the opportunity to choose and plan their own recipes. Students each take turns choosing the recipe for the week.
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STEM Club
STEM Club includes many different STEM activities. Students participate in STEM challenges using the Hand2Mind STEM carts. Students are challenged to create objects and projects based on the criteria provided in the cards. Students have created model wind turbines, DNA models, and catapults. We have also explored using the 3D printer and creating 3D models. Students can design and use Cricut Machines to make water bottles and other items. Another activity that we include in our STEM Club is using 3D pens to create designs students will be able to take home with them. These are some of the various activity missions that students might be able to participate in during STEM Club.
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IMPACT Community Service Club
IMPACT is the community service group that 21 CCLC Programs offers for the Middle School Students at NMS to participate in. At the beginning of the year students choose what they want to focus on for the year. In the past, we focused on raising funds for the Humane Society and Sweet Country Angels. Students were able to raise enough to donate close to $1,000.00 in supplies and funds to each group. Another year students decided to focus on spending time with the elderly of our community. Each holiday the students worked hard to create gifts to deliver to Weston County Manor and Mondell Heights. Students delivered these gifts during their lunch on days close to that holiday. Students have also focused on cleaning up trash around our Middle and High School. Last year, students decided to work on a Kindness Campaign. They focused on providing kind words and showing appreciation for their classmates and teachers.
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Empowering Teens Blazing Bulletin
The Empowering Teens Blazing Bulletin is a newsletter that we try to publish monthly. The students are given different jobs to do for each newsletter. This might be to come up with or find a Blazing Bulletin challenge questions, do interviews, and write stories about the sports happening, interview and write a story on words of advice from their teachers, or interviewing and writing a story on a classmate’s favorite quote. Some students might also be tasked with the job of creating an art piece for the newsletter. So far, students have created 10 issues of the Empowering Teens Blazing Bulletin.
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Drama Club
The Newcastle 21 CCLC Middle School Program Drama Club began last year. Students decided to work on the play, The Wizard of Oz. Students worked for several months designing and creating the set, finding costumes, memorizing their lines, and finally culminating with the performance. This year, students will be tasked with deciding on a new play to work on. This is a great experience for those who want to be on stage as well as those who like to work behind the scenes to ensure an amazing performance.
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Robotics
Robotics runs from September-December. Students who participate in Robotics will become a part of the team that travels to Casper, Wyoming for the FIRST Lego League Robotics Competition. Students will build and practice missions on the Robotics mat, find a solution to this year’s challenge, and create a presentation with their solution. They also reach out for community support and share about their solution and challenges, get advice and so forth. The students create a new design for each year’s team such as: a different name for their team, a hat, and T shirt design, pit decorations, etc. Newcastle 21 CCLC Programs has had many different Robotics teams throughout the last twelve years. Our teams have placed in the robot rounds, core values, and the presentation aspects of the competition. We are excited to see what is in store for the team this year!
***Please check out the Robotics page to see some of the Robot Rounds at the competition.*** |
MEET THE MIDDLE SCHOOL SITE COORDINATOR
Haley Himrich
Middle School Site Coordinator
6th-8th Grade
Adult Mentor
6th-8th Grade
Adult Mentor
My name is Haley Himrich, and I am twenty-eight years old. I am one of five siblings. I have an older brother who is thirty-two. He brought four pretty awesome people into my life. I have a great sister-in-law, a beautiful niece, and two very handsome nephews. I have another older brother who is thirty years old, and he also brought another wonderful sister-in-law into my life. I have a younger brother, who from the moment he was born stole my heart. He was my sidekick throughout high school and has continued to be a huge part of my life. He focuses on his love for God and basketball. He plays basketball every single day. He is going to be fifteen in a little over a month.... and this big sister is not quite sure if she can handle it. Time has gone by way too fast, just like with my beautiful baby sister who isn't quite a baby anymore. She is a thirteen-year-old who focuses on sports and her Faith. I am so proud to be her big sister because of the truly kind and thoughtful person she is. I am fortunate to be very close to my parents as well. We are such a close family and I truly feel blessed every day.
Molly |
I have always been the person to find animals wherever I go. I would say that if I had to choose one thing other than my family, it would be to spend my time with animals. I have two dogs myself. I have a very spoiled, very mischievous ten-year-old Basset Hound who I say should have been a cat because she has used at least five of her nine lives. However, I couldn't imagine not having her as long as I can. Her name is Molly. I also have a very rambunctious Lemon Beagle puppy named Winnie. She is only six months old, so she keeps me on my toes. However, when she does relax for a second, she is a very sweet and loveable little puppy.
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Winnie |
I began my journey in education many years ago. I grew up with my mom running her own daycare, then finishing her teaching degree, being a paraprofessional, finding her first teaching job, and then moving on to become the Director of the afterschool program. I never really thought about becoming a teacher even though I grew up around an educator. It wasn't until my Senior year in high school that all my plans began to change. I had always wanted to be a veterinarian but decided six months before graduating high school that I no longer wanted to pursue that dream. I worked in the afterschool program with my mom all four years of high school and continued even after graduating. I began pursuing an Early Childhood Education degree through Casper College but after a few semesters didn't know if that was quite what I wanted to do. I took a break from the education field for a little while, but after that break I found a new love for afterschool education. I finally accomplished my goal of receiving my teaching degree through Valley City State University in May of 2021. I feel like this accomplishment will continue to help me be the best afterschool educator that I can be. I truly feel like I have found my passion. I strive to continue to help Middle School students enjoy their education as much as possible.