Students at a school in Lancaster couldn't be more proud of the accomplishments they've made and the teachers who have helped them along the way.
The uniqueness of the G.W. Carver 6th Grade STEM Learning Center in Lancaster ISD is visible in almost every classroom.
Keylen Lyons teaches geography, and his lesson plans are anything but normal.
From origami during an activity, to music playing while students answer quizzes, the class is out of the box.
"I know that when I was growing up too that the music just brought me to a moment that when I studied I listened to music," Lyons said.
The lessons are designed to draw the kids in.
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Lyons tends to be unpredictable. He starts the class talking about the Mona Lisa, and the next thing you know there are blobs of shaving cream all over the students' desks.
It's just another lesson to get them thinking about different types of art.
The students began to make their own art as funny or as silly as they wanted to, and talked about how it differed from the Mona Lisa, but was still art.
Jeremy Lester is Lyons' geography class and said he thinks his teacher is one of the reasons it's fun.
"He lets us help him decorate the room. We always get our work done in here," Lester said.
The student said the class has learned about ancient artifacts, Egyptians and black history.
School leaders hope that by finding a way to capture their students' attention, they'll capture their minds along the way.
While the school is based in STEM, it really focuses on making sure the students' other skills are brought to the surface too.
Lorna Scott teaches theater at Carver.
"How to respect your neighbor, how to love your school, how to respect your other teachers and how to do good in your other subjects," she said are the keys to success.
A school filled with students who just get numbers, often lacks that creativity.
So, they're bringing it back one play at time.
Often, their plays build on the work going on in the classroom.
Science, math skills and jokes get mixed into their creative side. It helps the students find their voices.
"We meet kids where they are, and we draw out those strengths and we use them to make them achieve what they need to achieve," Scott said.
The students said their growth is obvious, and even though performing may be out of many of their comfort zones, they are enjoying the benefits.
