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‘The Future’ of Renaissance

[headline size="medium"]Project promotes better learning experience for students[/headline]

Renaissance welcomes Dream Director Toni Jones and the non-profit Future Project this year as a way to encourage students to take an active role in planning their future goals and dreams and then making those a reality by casting their visions. The Future Project is a movement started in high schools across the country to promote a better learning experience for all students.

Prior to coming to Renaissance, Jones lived in New York and spent 14 years in the fashion industry before coming to work as the director and dream tribe leader.

“My job is amazing, and I love it. But it’s a lot of work, and I haven’t had the opportunity to work and engage with all the teachers (or students) yet,” Jones said. “We’re going to go all the way this year; we’re not going to stop until we’re done.”

Jones’ goals are to reduce the number of freshmen who are removed each year for not maintaining their grades, to make the school more colorful and to give the students a platform for their voices to be heard.

The Future Project is known for revamping high schools, and at Renaissance that could include redesigning the lunch room, creating events that promote more school spirit or even a makeover for the hallways. Specifically, Jones and her dream tribe are planning an ice cream social, grand opening for the new teachers’ planning room and a Detroit pizza party for photographers, artists and videographers.

“I believe the Future Project is going to bring back the school spirit we used to have,” senior Ethan Beard said.

The vision of this movement is to celebrate and promote acceptance in high school and ultimately help to make Renaissance a better place for everyone.

“I went to a Future Project meeting last week, and the projects they have scheduled to help freshmen seem like they will be very successful,” freshman Jordan Mosley said.

The Future Project is always open in the media center during first and second lunches. Students can also attend formal meetings after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Currently the Future Project consists of approximately 50 members.

Even students who aren’t a part of the Future Project are excited to see changes around the school.

“I am excited to see what they have in store for the school year,” junior Melaney Sloan said.

[headline size="small"]Some of the Dream Tribe[/headline]

Junior Lillian Taylor (Lemonade Letter): Students can write letters to their teachers to have a better learning experience. “This way, students can have a better relationship with their teachers and also better their learning experience,” said Taylor said.

Junior DeOnna McKay (Suggestion Box): RHS students can put suggestions of how they want the school to look and feel in the suggestion box, and the dream tribe will make projects around these suggestions.

Junior Keshaun (Haunted House): Create a haunted house for the RHS students to enjoy. “I’m so excited to get started, I know it’s going to be epic,” Keshaun said.

[headline size="small"]Future ProjecT activities[/headline]

Painting: The group paints the hallways for the freshmen, juniors, sophomore and seniors. “The Sophomores will decorate the junior hallway and the seniors will decorate the freshmen hallway and so forth. We are all like a family,” said director Toni Jones.

 

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