No task is too tall for a handful of Elizabethton High School students.
Excitement at the high school has grown since the creation of the Bartleby School – a project formed by a handful of students which received national-acclaim in the XQ Super School Project competition.
With the first class from the program in session for the 2017-18 school year, students are receiving a crash course on what it takes to make an impact in the community.
Community Improvement students gathered inside the EHS Media Center Friday and were treated to a question-and-answer session with Thomas Davis, a financial advisor with Edward Jones Investments.
Davis spent the afternoon talking to students about how to get people and businesses to help different projects, and how to envision the path to follow through with different ideas.
Along with the duties at Edward Jones, Davis serves on multiple boards within the community diving into community-based projects.
“This is what Bartleby is all about,” Davis said. “New answers to old questions. If you look back to any civilization, as far back as you can go, they were working on the same fundamental issues.Find people who want to help you, because they are out there. If you can’t find them, ask everyone you see.”
Throughout the fall, Community Improvement students are focusing on a different of citywide projects, ranging from downtown beautification, Tweetsie Trail work, a teen support group and veterans’ assistance.
“The biggest project of all is the experience that these students will gain in the community, in the classroom and what we often call the real world,” Davis said. “Of all the projects and organizations I work with, this is going to be my favorite, because the potential is absolutely limitless.”
The 17-18 Bartleby program is being spearheaded by five city school representatives. Terry Smith is serving as the program director. Alex Campbell, Jessica Hayes, Dustin Hensley and Daniel Proffitt are each teaching classes this academic year.
Following the fall semester, the second installment of Bartleby will start with Entrepreneurship classes.
Smith also welcomed Rick Norman to Friday’s brainstorming session. Norman, with the local VFW, added he was excited to have students have the opportunity to work with the organization.
Community support is still sought after for the program.
To get involved, contact one of the following representatives with the Bartleby Program:
Terry Smith – Terry.Smith@ecschools.net
Alex Campbell – Alex.Campbell@ecschools.net
Jessica Hayes – Jessica.Hayes@ecschools.net
Dustin Hensley – Dustin.Hensley@ecschools.net
Daniel Proffitt – Daniel.Proffitt@ecschools.net