A group of Chagrin Falls Middle School eighth-graders attended the Social Advocates for Youth (SAY) Youth Forum at John Carroll University on March 5...
Eighth-Graders Attend SAY Leadership Conference
A group of Chagrin Falls Middle School eighth-graders attended the Social Advocates for Youth (SAY) Youth Forum at John Carroll University on March 5. The students learned about being leaders and positive influencers with roughly 100 other eighth-graders from across the region. These CFMS students have already been recognized as Tiger Trailblazers earlier this year for being thoughtful, inclusive, generous, encouraging and respectful leaders at school.
With a slogan of “Let’s Be Real” this year’s theme was about debunking the messages that social media and advertisements often falsely communicate with a focus on being a positive influencer and being authentic.
“Sometimes we get on social media or see advertisements or shows and think everyone else is up to all these extravagant things, some of which are harmful or dangerous choices teens wouldn’t normally make, especially when it comes to drug or alcohol use. However, the majority of teens are not engaging in these things. We want to normalize the positive, everyday things the majority of teens are actually up to and help them to be positive influencers with the choices they make and with what they communicate,” said Kyle Patterson. “Students are now encouraged to bring the message back to their home schools and be leaders by helping to put what they have learned into action by their own words and actions.”
Social Advocates for Youth is a school-based prevention and early intervention program of Bellefaire JCB for students in middle and high school. SAY services are offered in six suburban school districts in Cuyahoga County. It is also a coalition of community representatives working to strengthen families, youth and their communities in order to help prevent the use of alcohol and other drugs by teens and adolescents; help reduce the incidence of social and behavioral problems, such as teen violence, depression and suicide; and support teens and their families through adolescence.
Junior Places 3rd at thinkBIG! Challenge
Chagrin Falls High School junior Will Asplin took third place and won $500 in the prestigious thinkBIG! Challenge hosted by Case Western Reserve University’s Veale Institute for Entrepreneurship on March 5. His innovative “Eco-Kit” business plan was one of just six selected from over 100 entries in the Northeast Ohio youth entrepreneurship competition.
Asplin pitched the Eco-Kit – a customizable electronic drumming system that turns everyday objects into percussion instruments – in front of judges and over 100 audience members at the thinkBIG! Summit. The eco-friendly starter kit comes with attachable drum pads, drumsticks and a speaker to amplify the sounds created by banging on repurposed items like buckets, shoes or even pineapples.
“The combinations of objects and sounds are endless,” Asplin’s plan stated. “We’d love to see what your Eco-Kit looks and sounds like.”
As a finalist, the CFHS junior attended coaching sessions with Cleveland business leaders to refine his pitch. It marks the first time since 2017 that a Chagrin student made it to the final round of the prestigious entrepreneurial competition.
Asplin’s third place Eco-Kit concept celebrates musical creativity while promoting sustainability – a harmonious blend embodying the entrepreneurial spirit. The Chagrin community celebrates this impressive achievement.
Breakfast of Champions
On March 6, the Northeast Region of the Ohio Middle Level Association continued the tradition of hosting a Breakfast of Champions in Independence, Ohio, to honor some of the finest students for their character, leadership, scholarship and service.
Two students from Chagrin Falls were recognized – eighth-grader Lauren Eickhoff and seventh grader Ally Johnson. Each student attended with their parents and the principal, Laila Discenza.
Lauren Eickhoff is always prepared, highly engaged in all discussions and contributes thought-provoking ideas in all classes. She consistently makes everyone feel included, so much so, she was dominated as Tiger TrailBlazer for her inclusivity towards others. Lauren displays service as a Girl Scout and enjoys giving back to her community. Lauren also displays great scholarship in all her coursework. She maintains excellent marks and has been on the Straight A 4.0 GPA list. Lauren possesses a genuine enthusiasm for growth and learning and her leadership draws out the best in classmates. She has an eagerness to understand and earnestly attempts to work beyond expectations. Her kindness and positive disposition place her classmates at ease and help increase productivity. This is evident in her activities, such as with the School Newspaper and Middle School Book Club. Also, Lauren is the only student in the middle school to become gold star certified on all the equipment available in the Creation Lab and is always there to help her peers learn how to operate the equipment.
Ally Johnson demonstrates strength of character in the way she treats her peers with kindness and respect. She consistently attends to details and strives for excellence in all of her endeavors. Ally’s authentic approach earns the respect of her peers and adults alike. She is an exceptional music student, a fine violinist, and a dedicated academic student. Her work and preparation for classes is always at the highest level. Ally has been a leader in her classes and on the volleyball court. She motivates and encourages her classmates and teammates to perform at their very best. She is also very personable and collaborates well with students and staff. She truly is the kind of person that anyone would want to be around or work with. Ally is an ‘A’ student and a leader in the Principal Advisory Council and Student Council, where her servant skills help with school reform, social events and community projects.
