Park Ribbon Cutting is Real World Learning Achievement

As a new park formally opened to the community in Overland Park, Shawnee Mission South students celebrated the completion of a unique and meaningful Real World Learning Client-Connected Project.

Located at 159^th and Quivira, Bietigheim-Bissingen Park celebrates the cultural ties between Overland Park and its sister city, Bietigheim-Bissengen, Germany. This sister city relationship is rooted in a musical exchange program that started with Shawnee Mission South High School more than 45 years ago. Enriching the connection, students at SM South were invited to complete a Real World Learning project to contribute to the park. They conducted research, developed plans, and collaborated with city officials to develop signage to celebrate the sister city friendship. Both the opening of the park and the culmination of this project were celebrated at a ribbon cutting ceremony this fall.

Last year, many of the students who contributed to the park signage project were in Advanced Placement English Language and Composition classes, where 90 students were placed in 18 groups and were asked to brainstorm ideas for the park signage. They conducted research and eventually pitched ideas to city and school district officials.

“We learned a lot about research because of Real World Learning,” SM South senior Joseph Kariuki described. “It’s not just ‘Look at this white board, write some notes, and take a test later.’ You have to do stuff and make the learning more of your own. We had to get the confidence for ourselves to do a project like this.”

Eden Wagner, SM South senior, was among a group of students who spoke at the ribbon cutting ceremony. She thanked Overland Park, SM South, and Laura Harsch, business to program officer for the Shawnee Mission Education Foundation, for the opportunity this project gave students.

“It’s a great way to make sure students are invested in what they are doing in school,” Wagner shared. “What we did with this project was impactful in our real lives because people are going to come to this park for years and years to come.”

It was meaningful for the students to see the completed signage in place at the park after the long-range project was complete, SM South instructor Travis Gatewood noted.

“Multiple students have spoken about the project being one of their favorites to work on in high school,” Gatewood expressed.

The project helped students develop a deeper appreciation for both cities, according to SM South senior Chet Salsbury.

“For me personally, that connection is really cool to be a part of and possibly be able to take my family, too, later in life and say ‘Hey, I knew who wrote this,’” Salsbury shared.

About Real World Learning: This Real World Learning opportunity provided students an opportunity to complete a client-connected project. This is one of the Market Value Assets (MVAs), or specific work opportunities or accreditations that contribute to student success in work and beyond graduation. Shawnee Mission is working toward the goal of making sure every student earns an MVA by the time they graduate. To learn more about Real World Learning in the Shawnee Mission School District, click here.

Connection to Portrait of a Graduate Real World Learning is also integrated into the district’s Portrait of a Graduate. This is the district’s North Star for what it means to be truly ready for the next step after high school. Click here to learn more about Portrait of a Graduate.