Students at Vincent Middle High School have a new opportunity to meet other students and teachers who share a common interest or hobby through the creation of Jacket Nests.

According to Dr. Michele Edwards, principal at VMHS, a Jacket Nest is a family of students with a teacher that has a like interest.  Dr. Edwards chose the name Jacket Nests as a nod to both the school mascot, the Yellowjackets, and that a nest is synonymous with a home or family.

“I borrowed the idea from Hayden Middle School when I participated in a Leader in Me tour there,” Dr. Edwards said. “Then I combined this idea with what we did last year with the LEAD (leadership) initiative.”

The teachers came up with hobbies that they enjoy to be the topic of their nests. Students chose five nests and ranked them in the order of preference for what seemed to interest them the most. No teacher names were associated with the clubs, so students did have to choose solely based on interest and not from choosing their favorite teachers.

Some of the choices for students included Fantasy Football, Ping Pong, All Things Disney, Culinary, Girl Talk and Grub, Cards, Hunting and Fishing, Culinary, Etiquette, Netflix, Travel, Chess, STEM, Sign Language, 5K, Walking, Inner Beauty, Writer’s Corner, Arts and Crafts, Book Club, and more…

Students and teachers met in their nests on September 5 for the first time where they decided on a team name and a t-shirt design.  Each Nest will meet every other Wednesday to not only partake in the common hobby but also complete their LEAD lessons and character education lessons.

Some of the creative names chosen for the nests so far are The Red Hot Chili Steppers (walking group)
Bronte’ and Latte’ (Book Club), Shudder Up (Photography, Stingin’ Singers (Karaoke), Dumbledorks (Harry Potter), Golden Girls (Girl Empowerment), and Chop It Like Its Hot (Culinary).

“Students that would most normally just cross paths in the hall work together and become a unit to ‘Be the One’ for each other,” said Dr. Edwards.