Brummitt Young Citizen Award
The Duneland Exchange Club recently presented Brummitt Elementary fourth grade student Chloe McGowan, center front, with the Young Citizenship Award. Also pictured, left to right, her teacher Courtney Commers, Duneland Exchange Club representative Dr. Dan Keilman; her brother Alex McGowan and mother Becky McGowan, and Principal Antonino Cammarata. Absent from the photo is her father Jim McGowan. This award is given to a fourth grade student who is an all around good citizen. The club presents this award to one student at each of the five Duneland elementary schools, at the sixth grade level at the each of the intermediate schools and at the eighth grade level at Chesterton Middle School.
CMS student learn about Constitution
Chesterton Middle School now owns a new pop-up exhibit, The Bill of Rights and You, received through a competitive grant from the National Archives . The Bill of Rights and You, which commemorates the 225th anniversary of the ratification of this landmark document, spotlights one of the most remarkable periods in American history, explores the origins of the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution (collectively known as the Bill of Rights), illustrates how each amendment protects U.S. citizens, and looks at how Americans exercise the rights outlined in the amendments. The Bill of Rights and You invites these young students and others to connect directly with the people, places, and events that mark this historic document’s evolution.
The Bill of Rights and You co-curator Jennifer Johnson states: "The Bill of Rights represents the Founder's vision that it would be the people, through votes, that could change the Constitution with enough consensus. And when the people desired a Bill of Rights, our first ten amendments were added to our governing charter."
“Chesterton Middle School is the ideal location for this exhibit,” said Mary Gish, CMS Media Specialist. “We are the only public school in our community devoted to seventh and eighth grade students where the display would be viewed by all 1,000 students. Part of the eighth grade curriculum is to study the Constitution. The social studies teachers spend weeks of instruction on the history of the United States and the Constitution. “Having the display hosted at our school will support the learning the students are currently doing in class and demonstrate to the students, the importance of our Constitution,” added Christine Bullock, CMS Social Studies teacher.
The Bill of Rights and You is organized by the National Archives and Records Administration. This exhibition was developed in collaboration with the National Archives’ National Outreach Initiative to commemorate the 225th Anniversary of the Bill of Rights. The exhibition is presented in part by AT&T, Seedlings Foundation, and the National Archives Foundation.
This exhibit was brought to Chesterton Middle School through collaboration with the Indiana Humanities and the Federation of State Humanities Councils.