Our first ever virtual event has officially come to a close. Step into Our Studio, a three-part virtual workshop series that featured CCSA teachers and students, was a resounding success – raising nearly $25,000 to support CCSA.

We hope all who attended walked away with a better understanding of how students and teachers have adapted to virtual learning and how CCSA’s arts-integrated curriculum is increasing engagement amidst the pandemic. We appreciate your willingness to explore and discuss difficult topics such as race, injustice, and dangerous historical inaccuracies, just as our students are supported in doing every day.

We offer a special thank you to CCSA art teacher Kelly Nicholson, music teacher Frank Hosking, and middle school social studies teacher Cherron Hamm for sharing a glimpse inside their classrooms. We also want to acknowledge the nine students who so wonderfully demonstrated the lessons and shared their invaluable, often vulnerable, insight on the topics at hand.

The event would not have been possible without our generous corporate sponsors: BMC Benefit Services, Charter Choices, Hoffman Insurance Consultants LLC, Lintons Food Service Management, and WSFS Bank. 

Finally, we are sending the biggest “thank you” to all who donated and attended the event. We miss seeing you all in person, but we count ourselves lucky to still be able to connect with you virtually. Keep an eye on your inbox, as we will be in touch with news of future events in the coming months.

To view a video recording of Workshops 1, 2 & 3, click here. 

Mindy Nguyen, CCSA’s Director of Curriculum and Arts-Integration, is sharing her own personal story on immigration, acclimation, and identity.

Mindy felt compelled to share her immigration story, which she calls “From Vietnam to Indiana to Pennsylvania,” with CCSA’s middle school students as they read the book Front Desk in their English class. Selected by middle school english teachers, Front Desk tells the story of 10-year-old Mia, the daughter of Chinese immigrants who live and work at a motel.

Front Desk was introduced into the curriculum after students read Ghost Boys, a heartbreaking and powerful story about a black boy killed by a police officer. In reading Front Desk, students gained a better understanding of how racism affects different groups of people in different ways. Students were also able to compare and contrast the stereotypes experienced by different communities, gain differing perspectives on social justice issues, and make text to life, text to text, and text to world connections. 

To further emphasize the text to life connections, Mindy shared her own immigration experience with the middle school students; as refugees of the Vietnam War, Mindy and her family were forced to flee from the home they had always known, Saigon, Vietnam, and come to the United States via a sponsorship program.

After Mindy shared her immigration story, the students were asked to send questions that she would answer in a follow-up visit to the classes. The students asked thoughtful questions like “Has it ever been hard for you in America, especially now with what is going on in the Asian community?” and “How emotionally difficult was it for you to be an immigrant?”

Ultimately, Mindy and the middle school teachers wanted students to take away that each immigrant's story is unique. She emphasized that “True, lasting justice – whether racial, economic, or gender – will only happen through honest conversations. Opportunities like this help students learn about each other and understand, not judge, each other’s experiences, skin color, accent, and living situation.”

This year, CCSA teachers are implementing social justice standards by using the Southern Poverty Law Center’s educational program, Learning for Justice. The standards are being used to develop a school-wide language and foundation for students to talk about four key domains of social justice: Identity, Diversity, Justice, and Action.  

The Ladies Philoptochos Society of Saint Luke Greek Orthodox Church in Broomall, in conjunction with the Kappa Kappa Gamma Philadelphia Alumnae Association, have been steadfast supporters of CCSA since its first day of school in 2012.

The relationship started with CCSA’s founding principal, Anna Hadgis, who is an active member of both St Luke Greek Orthodox Church and the Kappa Alumnae Association. Anna has always been a strong advocate for our school, as well as the broader Chester community, and is always looking for ways to give back.

The St Luke Philoptochos has responded to the needs of CCSA students and their families by donating funds for the purchase of much needed books and supplies for kindergarten through third grade students. Last year, Philoptochos decided to ‘adopt’ our two kindergarten classes and donate books each year as they progress through their schooling, all the way to their graduation in 2032. 

In addition to the book donations, the ladies of St Luke have contributed to the establishment of a much-needed food pantry at CCSA. Their tireless efforts have provided the school community with an abundance of healthy food staples and have even inspired other community organizations to aid in stocking the pantry – Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumnae Association being one of them.

Both active Kappas and alum have not only joined to support the food pantry, but also to support literacy and numeracy through small group and individual connections. Before the pandemic brought the program to a temporary halt, the Kappas came to CCSA weekly to read with our youngest students as part of our Reading Beach Club program. For the sixth year running, members of the Alumnae Association will be participating in a “read along” via Zoom and gifting books to elementary students for their personal home libraries later this spring.

When speaking about the relationship between the Alumnae Association, St Luke Church, and CCSA, Anna stated “we want our connection to be sustainable through mutual, long range goals. We adore the children and want the best for them and their families.”

St Luke is hosting an online fundraiser to raise money to support local organizations, including CCSA. If you are interested in participating, click here to view all the details.

CCSA senior Jayda Ragland is aiming high - like applying to fifteen colleges/universities high. What is even more impressive is that she has already been accepted to thirteen of the fifteen schools, and is still waiting to hear back from the remaining two. This accomplishment is nearly as impressive as Jayda herself. 

Like many students, Jayda was forced to transition into the world of virtual learning when the pandemic hit over a year ago. And, like many students, Jayda did not think she would ever get used to distance learning. While she missed classroom structure and seeing her teachers and friends, she recognizes a silver lining to her distance learning experience. She learned how to quickly adapt, self-motivate, avoid distractions, and stay focused – all skills she knows will prove useful in her college career and beyond. 

In Mr. Deery’s English class, Jayda and her classmates have been tasked with making a five-year plan for life after graduation. Jayda said, “I'm really enjoying thinking about life after graduation, and it is very helpful to have a structured plan in place to help me stay on track.” Currently, her five-year plan includes a major in Liberal Arts, but she hasn’t quite decided from where yet. Fortunately for the CCSA community, and for Jayda’s family, most of the fifteen schools she applied to are (reasonably) local, so no matter where she decides to attend, she won’t be too far away.

We are beyond proud of Jayda and all of the Class of 2021. They have shown true resilience, perseverance, and grit in these unprecedented times and have adapted to new challenges head-on, with grace. Reflecting on her time at CCSA, Jayda wanted to impart a piece of advice to all CCSA students; “I'd tell my younger classmates that no matter how hard things may seem, you have the support of the entire school to help you out.”