Students Write to State Representatives

As many of you probably already know, a bill is being considered in the Massachussetts state legislature which would increase the age requirement for receiving a driver's license, along with proposing a number of other changes.

The bill has caused quite a bit of public debate, and we decided to get involved. Many of the students, like their peers, found objection with this prospect of waiting an extra year for their licenses, and wrote letters to our state representatives. We read up on the issue, studied the statistics and causes of teenage driving accidents, and looked at alternative solutions to the problem. We then drafted our letters, selected the strongest candidates, and mailed them not only to Representative Teahan and Senator Morrissey, but to the Senate President and the Speaker of the House.

I have to say one thing to my students: I'm extremely proud of you all and very impressed with your work. I not only mailed out the letters that you voted on, but I've also been showing them off to a number of other people: Ms. Moschella, the head of the English department, my friends, and even a professor at a local college. They all admired your writing!

I appreciate the thought and effort you put into your letters, and I have no doubt that they will make a great impression on the state representatives we mail them to.  I hope that everyone takes a chance to mail or email their own letters. These readers are our representatives who take part in shaping our laws and government, and one day you will be the ones who decide who to vote into (or out of) office. I hope that you take the time in the future to write about the things that you care about.

With permission, I'm hoping to post a couple of your letters on this page. Keep up the good work!

Room 210's Divisions Rake It In: The Stock Market Game

Over the past two months, students have been competing in the Stock Market Game, an online investing simulation sponsored by the Boston Globe and a number of investment companies. Mrs. Walls and I have been working with the students: studying stocks, mutual funds, the economy, markets, and strategies for buying and selling. We've been learning just as much as the students, but they're the ones who get to invest $100,000 of cyber cash in portfolios of their choice and then manage their assets.

And they've been cleaning house!

Students, don't forget that you've been competing against over 200 other teams in Massachusetts, not only including other middle schools, but also high schools and private institutions. Many of you have been doing great. In fact, a parent recently emailed me and noted that you're beating five out of the six high school economics classes he teaches. I might add that several Frolio teachers have been curious about your investment secrets also, so keep up the good work. If they ask you for investment advice, charge them! (Just kidding)

Teams who have recently made it into the top 15 include the Sapphires, AGoogle, and the Black Flame Phoenixes. Keep an eye on your portfolios; the game doesn't end until early May. I hope that you're enjoying the game, and learning something from it. Trust me, having even just a basic grasp of how investing works will be invaluable in your future.

Welcome

Greetings, all. Room 210 has made a move of sorts...online! I'm planning to put this new classroom space to good use in the future, in a number of ways. I'll be posting assignments, classroom news and events, and (hopefully) a good deal of student work, so whether you're a parent, student, or visitor, please come back often.

Don't forget, April is National Poetry Month. Take a moment out of your busy day to enjoy a poem. May I recommend a few personal favorites? If you're in the mood for a chuckle, you might want to try Billy Collins or Ogden Nash. Ted Kooser is the current Poet Laureate, and an absolute pleasure to read. You can't go wrong with the greats who came before us either: Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, and Langston Hughes. If you can, listen to Hughes read one of his earliest poems, "The Negro Speaks of Rivers". He has a fantastic voice.

Best Wishes,
Mr. LeBlanc