14-04-2025
Massena Central Raider Academy students, NYPA form program partnership
Apr. 14—MASSENA — Some Massena Central School students have teamed up with the New York Power Authority on an enrichment program that focuses on hands-on projects.
Sixth grade teacher Paige Arcet said fifth and sixth grade students who attend the district's after-school Raider Academy take part in the Empowered Schools initiative.
"We're happy to share that we're in our third year with the enrichment program for the Empowered Schools program at NYPA," she told school board members. "We've been using a project-based learning method of teaching and learning to engage our students with an authentic learning opportunity and experience in the science field."
Arcet said the program and curriculum begins with training teachers prior to the start of school year, as well as "continued virtual support throughout the year."
"This is something that we have done on our own time as we participate in becoming better educators and stewards of energy efficiency," she said.
She said the program focuses on integrating science, technology, engineering, arts, English language arts and math (STEAM).
"We integrate the lessons each month into our Raider Academy enrichment time. Throughout the program, the students become ambassadors for energy conservation in their schools, homes and communities. The program also provides hands-on activities and lessons and promotes a fostering environment for stewardship, authentic learning, and community engagement," Arcet said.
She said Massena students participated in the Empowered Schools first annual virtual summit last year.
"They presented their capstone project that was focusing on raising awareness of energy efficiency and ways in which students could take action to help reduce energy costs at school and home. The students were engaged in learning how to do energy audits at our school, and they analyzed the school's energy costs by looking at reports provided. They created posters to hang around the school to raise awareness and share ideas, and they also presented all of their learning at the virtual summit as we guided them through the process," Arcet said.
She said managers they work with from the Power Authority's Environmental Department provided teachers and students with ongoing support, "everything from technology, monthly meetings with us on our own time, and engagement with local NYPA employees, staff and volunteers."
"They provide everyone that was involved with amazing lunches. They have catered Italian Affair, and the kids love it and we all love it. They also planned a very fun and engaging fishing clinic with the New York Power Authority and the Department of Environmental Conservation employees and volunteers that was held at Hawkins Point last June," she said.
She said students are continuing their authentic learning experience this year.
"We are immersed currently in another capstone project. The students chose the topic of the emerald ash borer and the environmental and cultural impact that this invasive species has on our local environment, as well as our local indigenous culture," Arcet said. "It's not my area of expertise, so we're all learning. We have invited guest speakers to come and speak to us and our students that are very knowledgeable in working with that topic. They have supported us and our students in the learning that they have been involved in. We have also recruited some high school students who were referred from their science teachers."
The students will have an opportunity to showcase their work during the second annual virtual summit on May 28 at the Nicandri Nature Center.
"The whole experience engages them in this very amazing learning process from start to finish and very important life-long skills that they obtain from it," Arcet said.
