Every fall, my dad and I head north for our annual fly-fishing trip. It's a chance to reconnect with each other and with nature, and to feed my soul with sustenance for the long Michigan winter.

I have this trip circled for 364 days, and yet every year, a few days before I leave, I'm beset with uncharacteristic anxiety.

I enjoy fly fishing; I'm just not very good at it. In other words, I'm incompetent.

As soon as I enter the fly shop, I'm beset by doubt and insecurity. Everyone around me appears to know what they're doing and what they're talking about. Experienced anglers respond to my questions with foreign vocabulary like "soft hackle," "hoppers and droppers," and "catch it on the rise." I nod my head in faux understanding, hoping they don't call my bluff.

I look like a fisherman. I've got the gear, the trucker hat, the plaid fishing shirt, and the scraggly beard. I even have some of the dry wit typical of anglers. But I don't catch fish. It's kind of the point of fishing, but it's also the part that has escaped me.

So as I was riding with our guide to the drop-in spot (fishing jargon for where we put the boat in water) on this beautiful, crisp fall day, it dawned on me that this is exactly how our students feel in many situations, academic and otherwise. They look the part too - they'll nod their heads and take notes, say the right things and even ask the right questions, but many are like me in the fly shop: utterly lost and feeling badly about it.

This year, I'm going to do a better job of not assuming students have the knowledge and skills to be successful, whether it be on an AP History test or in a difficult conversation with peers. I'm not going to assume, just because they're Honors students, they've got it all figured out. They still need explicit instruction with student-friendly vocabulary. They may need to be taught how to use the Calendar function on their phone. Above all though, they need us to coach them with patience, not frustration.

I'm proud to share that thanks to Matt, our incredibly knowledgeable and patient fishing guide, who provided explicit instruction and student-friendly vocabulary, I was able to land five fish. Thanks to him, I'll walk into the fly shop next year a little more confident.

Upper right: Matt holding one of my trout (he was afraid I'd kill it)

If you have not already, please schedule a 1-on-1 goal-setting meeting with me here:

https://calendly.com/rorywhughes/esp-one-on-one

Join me for the Eagle Scholars Study Lounge every Wednesday during Seminar in the cafeteria. Snacks provided! (pics below)

Juniors:

Mark your calendar for college visits to Kalamazoo College (11/9) and U of M Ann Arbor (11/18)

Seniors:

MSU Admissions counselor Brandon Scarber will be on campus on 11/21 accepting students on site! Check your email for details.

Check out the scholarships page to look for free money for college!

Tip of the month by Mamboge Njie (7th Grade ESP student)

Are you struggling in class or stressing about homework? Well, you're lucky if so because Pierce Middle school has a homework clinic that you can attend. We have teachers here if you need help with anything. Don’t worry about getting home, there is a bus ride home and teachers have class phones if you need to call home. Finally in homework clinic you can do anything that involves school like projects, homework, retake tests, and any studying you need help with. You can attend Mondays and Thursdays from 3:10-4:10 if you're interested! Our only rule is you must stay for the full time.

Eagle Scholar Volunteer Hours

Middle School students are encouraged to volunteer their time 2 hours this school year. Volunteer opportunities include helping organizations, schools, and the community. Students can record their volunteer hours on the google form linked here.

PBIS

Every month at Pierce students that have demonstrated good behavior are given a reward. The 7th-grade team that is part of Eagle Scholars went outside for a kickball tournament. This gives students a chance to have fun and celebrate all of their hard work.

October Grade Level Assembly

On Tuesday, October 11, in Pierce Middle School, each grade level met and gave awards to those who were showing that they could be safe, respectful, and responsible. The teachers went over grade level expectations and celebrated people from each team. Each person that got an award got a certificate for following all those expectations including finishing all assignments.

Meet Mrs. Wilson in this quick interview: Mrs.Wilson Interview

Email: rory.hughes@southredford.org
Website: eaglescholars.southredford.org
Location: 26249 Schoolcraft Avenue, Redford Charter Township, MI, United States
Phone: 313-444-2590
Facebook: facebook.com/eaglescholarsprogram