Breakfast Bar Update

The Randall Breakfast Program just keeps getting better! You can look forward to some new items coming soon--taste tested and approved by you (the students). 8th grade EXCEL members/breakfast workers (including myself) will be giving you the chance to test new products and tell us what you think. Younger grades can also look forward to hearing stories about the foods they eat every morning.

8th graders work to make breakfast happen every step of the way. I've made menus and worked with my EXCEL group to pick new items and make posters. 8th graders also set up and serve you your food. There may be an extra incentive to eat breakfast coming soon. Some bags will be specially marked and if you pick that bag, you'll win a prize.

This year's breakfast program will be great! Let's eat!

Story by 8th grader--R.B.

Friendship Frenzy

Right now in 8th grade Academic EXCEL, some of us are creating our own businesses. My business is Friendship Frenzy and the product I'm selling is bracelets. First to start my business I had to brainstorm ideas for what to sell. When I decided on selling bracelets, I then had to come up with a business plan. On my business plan I had to state what the name of the business was, my product, where I was selling them, who I was selling them to, etc. I also had to come up with prices based on time to create bracelets and the materials used. Then I presented my business plan to Mr. Lawrence and was given approval. So be on the lookout for Friendship Frenzy because they are coming soon!

Story by 8th grader--A.S.

Build It and They Will Come

In EXCEL we are doing K'Nex. K'Nex is when we build these awesome roller coasters and rides. I'm M.D. and I am making a boom ride with K. C. T.T., as I call him, made the swing ride which goes around in a circle. Last but not least, M.O. is making the Ferris wheel. This is fun so if you get to do this in 7th grade EXCEL, I would do it!

Story by M.D.

Who's Your Roomie?

We have done many fun things in EXCEL, but now we are doing a kind of "simulation" of what it would be like to be grown up. It is called "Roomies". In "Roomies" we get to choose a person to live with. Then we chose the kind of house we want, what we will eat, what car we have, and what we will have in the house, things like a pet we would like to have.

We also use "fate cards", that can be good or bad, like "You won $1000 in a game show!" or "Your car broke down, pay $500 for repairs." If we have a roomie, we split rent, food costs, and appliance costs, so that makes it easier. We also chose a job and get paid whatever the lowest wage is for entry level and work our way up.

I like "Roomies". I think it's a good way to teach us to balance costs and buy only what our budget allows.

Story by 7th grader--M.K.

Complicated Machines!

In EXCEL we have been making Rube Goldberg machines. Rube Goldberg was a man who had to make everything complicated. So we made a machine that had 10 different steps for it to work, a chain reaction. We made a chain reaction that turned on a light, picked up paperclips, pushed a button on a remote control, and others. We finished it and it was a blast!

Now we are working on robots and snapping machine parts together to make robots. It is extremely fun and I wish I could do it all the time!!

Story by 8th grader--M.D.

CSI Boot Camp

In 6th grade Project EXCEL we just finished CSI boot camp where we solved mysteries that had hidden clues. We had to listen very carefully for hints and we came up with possible ways to solve the mystery. Soon we will be solving a murder mystery!

Story by R.B.

The Randall-town Rappers

4th Grade EXCEL is a great experience! We are doing a play. The play is called "The Randall-town Rappers". There is a bat-eared fox, an Iberian wolf, a manatee, a shark, a scarlet macaw, a koala, a tiger, and a narrator. We are on a journey to Randall-town to become rappers. We get to rap! It is very fun to be in 4th grade EXCEL. The cool thing is we get to vote on what we do. Furthermore we get to do activities we wouldn't do in class. We love 4th grade EXCEL!

story by S.C.

Little Las Vegas!

In 5th Grade EXCEL we are making a city. Our city is called Little Las Vegas, L.L.V. There is a mayor, vice mayor, council members, and citizens. To get to be the mayor, vice mayor, or council member, you had to write a speech and run against other people. The elected people are: mayor, me; vice mayor, S. G., and council members; J. B. and A.P. When we have council meetings, the kids run the meeting. One other cool thing is we get paid money (fake) for coming to class.

story by: E.H.