“You’re Hired” Teaches Students Teamwork

Eight grade students at Carl Ben Eielson Middle School are competing in the first of three “You’re Hired” events planned for this school year.

131 students are broken up into groups and given a problem to solve.

This time they’re designing a school lunch menu that is not only nutritious but also tasty, which includes options that cater to gluten allergies, vegans and vegetarians.

The students present their proposals to a board of judges made up of business owners, police officers and other community members.

“It’s good they get frustrated a lot which is a great thing because then they have to work through these problems. They have to collaborate as a group and problem solve which is a real world situation,” says 8th Grade Language Arts Teacher Josh Rudie.

The kids each are given a role like media specialist and project manager giving the kids the opportunity to work as a group, meet a deadline, and gain some real world problem solving skills.