ITMS teacher does cartwheels for civics

Florida Department of Education selects Indian Trails Middle School for a civics quiz event.

  • By Jacque Estes
  • | 4:22 p.m. December 7, 2015
  • Palm Coast Observer
  • Neighbors
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A turquoise, 18-wheel semi-trailer with the pink flamingo logo of the Florida Lottery pulled into the back parking lot of Indian Trails Middle School on Friday, Dec. 4 for the Just Read Florida event. The trailer, which opens up into a stage, had to stay closed due to the weather, but that didn’t matter to the cafeteria full of seventh graders. They were just as happy to watch teacher Brandy Anderson do a cartwheel.

“To see the kids excited about civics, and being able to answer the questions, is really great.” Diane Dyer, Flagler Schools director of curriculum

The ITMS seventh-grade civics classes were chosen by the Florida Department of Education, co-sponsor of the event with the Florida Lottery. Schools were chosen randomly throughout the state to participate in the pop quiz event.

“Superintendent Oliva received a call about Indian Trails being asked to participate in the event,” Diane Dyer, director of curriculum. “To see the kids excited about civics, and being able to answer the questions, is really great.”

The two teams, Team Anderson and Team Buck, the students of Brandy Anderson and Jeffrey Buck, sat with their buzzers raised, waiting for Principal Paul Peacock to ask the questions.

From time to time there were breaks for “Pop Up Waves” when Peacock threw T-shirts out into waiting arms. During another brief break, Peacock challenged Anderson to do a cartwheel across the stage, which she did flawlessly.  Buck declined the cartwheel challenge later in the program.

The teams were allowed to call on one friend from the audience if a question stumped them. No friends were called upon. The eight students on stage knew their civics. The teams traded off the lead throughout the competition. Team Anderson ultimately won.

“This is the first year I’ve heard of it, and it is awesome,” assistant principal Marcus Sanfilippo said.

Books donated by FDOE were stacked on the stage. The books were part of the “Just Take 20” reading campaign implemented by the state.

“Students who read 20 minutes every day are more successful in school,” Hope Colle from the Florida Department of Education told the students.

 

 

 

The event was broadcast live on the school website.

“Parents can watch the event from home on www.itmsmustangs.com/live, just like they can watch the morning announcements,” Peacock said.

 

 

 

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