LHS Diploma of Distinction projects help students leave legacy

LACONIA — A group of 12th grade students are working on passion projects to earn a Diploma of Distinction, giving back to the Sachem legacy they'll leave after graduation from Laconia High School.

The school board heard from five of the 10 students involved at their March 17 meeting. The projects address issues like food insecurity and bullying, and working with elementary school students.

Interim Assistant Superintendent Lisa Hinds said at the meeting the Diploma of Distinction is an alternative diploma proposal, created during the 2018-19 school year. It is designed for students dedicated to their education by holding a B grade average or higher, and earning 30 credits by graduation.

The program was introduced in 2020, during the COVID pandemic, and has since been going strong. This year’s group includes Rebecca Buttermore, Savanna Dutile, Melody Goyette, Sydney Gray, Gracie Hoyt, Heidi Kristoffersen, Haily McCarty, Xander Spears, Savannah Stone, and Samantha Wylie.

Librarian Karen Abraham has been spearheading the program, and said most of the students have completed their projects already, with the exception of Gray and Wylie, who were waiting for the snow to melt.

The requirements include drafting and presenting a project proposal to Hinds, Abraham, and Extended Learning Coordinator Candace Hyde. The students create an action plan, set a timeline for meetings each month, make journal entries with reflections on the project, create a portfolio, take part in a collaborative session in May, and then present their project to teachers and classmates.

Feeding fellow students

Dutile told the board about her project, about how she can help prevent food insecurity at the high school.

“My passion was deeply rooted in my desire to become a social worker, and was born from the path of my lifelong compassion to help others, and my unwavering commitment to service,” Dutile said.

She created the Sachem Sharing Shelf at Laconia High, to support students and staff experiencing food insecurity. Dutile stressed they don’t call it a food pantry, and is open for all students at the school to use.

“Kids use it every single day, and it is one of the biggest things used at the school currently,” Dutile said.

Dutile added a suggestion box, where students, guidance counselors, and anyone receiving food can suggest items. She has been working with Natasha Lapointe of the Huot Career and Technical Center to bring in bulk food items, like chips and pasta.

Dutile said she received a donation from Key Club, along with donations from food drives at the middle and high schools. The Belknap County Sheriff’s Office had a food drive, and donated to her cause, as well.

Dutile told the board the project started in September, and by late fall she already had plenty of food, and $600 to put into an account she set up for the project. The cash came from the middle school food drive, where she had her whole car filled up with items, as well.

“This project has taken off in different ways that I can’t even explain,” Dutile said.

Board member Karen Salome recommended putting together a press release, and when it came to the success of her project, she said, “Brag about it.”

Inspiring creative writing

Hoyt's project focuses on inspiring elementary students creatively, and her passion comes from her goal of working as an elementary school teacher. She told the board about her love of creative writing, and she wanted to encourage young children to pursue it by creating a literacy group at Woodland Heights Elementary School through Project Extra. The idea is for the group to continue each year, using activities she created.

Hoyt started the project in September, with a meeting with Stephanie Milne, Project Extra coordinator at Woodland Heights. She spent time researching age-appropriate ideas, which she admitted was a little bit of trial and error, at first. For example, in her first lesson she assigned a writing project, forgetting kindergartners didn’t quite have their spelling perfected yet.

The first lesson had an ice breaker-style poster called Ms. Gracie’s Flower Garden, which was an activity to learn students' names. She said the project got better day after day.

“I saw a lot of improvement and engagement,” Hoyt said.

Hoyt said the second graders didn’t seem to like her as much as the kindergartners, but now they ask their teacher about Hoyt. She said she doesn’t blame them, because it's her job to make the activities enjoyable.

“I try to make it fun, engaging, and still educational,” Hoyt said.

Crafting and art

Kristoffersen’s project also works with elementary students, and how she can inspire creativity. Her passion is learning to teach the next generation, she is concerned in this new digital age, creativity may be affected.

“As someone who works with kids a lot, I definitely see this,” Kristoffersen said.

Kristoffersen’s project uses arts and crafts, and creates activities Project Extra can continue to use with students. She created an arts and crafts group on Thursdays for third grade students, and Kristoffersen enjoyed it so much, she wished it were more often. Students made collages, worked with clay, and created other projects outdoors.

“The kids were amazing,” Kristoffersen said. “I feel like I could really bring them a sense of creativity.”

Growth mindset

McCarty worked with elementary students at Woodland Heights, as well. Her passion is to work with children and find ways to leave a lasting impression. McCarty created “growth mindset boxes.” These boxes contain mini white boards, markers, crayons, coloring pages, and notes with encouraging phrases, like “I can do this.”

Her goal is to have the boxes in a classroom, and provide an outlet where students can refocus.

“It’s not meant to be a distraction, something that is going to take them away from their work,” McCarty said, and added it is something where students can take a brief step away from work, and come back revived.

Anti-bullying

Stone wrote a children’s book about anti-bullying, stemming from her passion of writing and wanting to help others. Her Sachem legacy is the book, which will be shared at each city elementary school. The goal is to lower the percentage of bullying for younger kids, to help them in their futures.

Stone illustrated the book on her iPad, and she used images of animals from the savannah, her namesake. She felt it would be entertaining for the children to see the acts of bullying through illustrated animals, rather than people.

A former Woodland Heights student herself, she used the Woodland binding machine, and started the project with their students. She had plans to read it to the first grade pod once it is printed, but would love to have a full-school reading. Stone also hopes to have copies in the library and guidance offices.

Leadership reaction

The school board had nothing but great things to say about the work of the high school students ahead of their graduation.

Board member Nancy Simoneau was impressed by their work, calling it “really inspiring.” Board Chair Jennifer Anderson felt the same way, and commended them for their work.

“It is really incredibly impressive what you’ve all come up with.”