This trimester, five seventh grade students in Digital Media Exploration came together to produce a documentary exploring the history of the ROBS Athletics program and its connection to character and faith. The assignment required planning, interviewing, filming, editing, and coordinating as a team. However, the most significant outcome of the project extended far beyond the final film itself.
Erin Tate, Director of Educational Technology and the Digital Media Exploration teacher, intentionally framed the assignment through the lens of the ROBS Portrait of a Graduate. Since students typically equate learning with quizzes, tests, and measurable content mastery, it can be difficult for students to identify what they are actually learning when there are no traditional assessments.
Instead of assigning and framing the documentary as a creative project, she made sure to continually name each of the Portrait of a Graduate skills and qualities that the students were developing throughout the process: critical and creative thinking, effective communication, collaboration, leadership, adaptability, and perseverance.
As they worked within their defined roles, she drew attention to the deeper competencies being formed. When students evaluated footage and determined what best supported their message, they were practicing analytical thinking. When they crafted interview questions and synthesized information into a cohesive narrative, they were learning to access, evaluate, and communicate ideas effectively. When technical challenges disrupted their plans, they were developing resilience and problem-solving skills. When coordinating interviews and meeting deadlines, they were strengthening professional communication and collaborative work habits.
By purposefully connecting these moments to the Portrait of a Graduate, Mrs. Tate helped her students see that their effort had purpose. The goal was not simply to complete a documentary about athletics and faith; it was to practice the very qualities ROBS seeks to cultivate in every graduate.
Throughout this project, those ideals were not theoretical - they were experienced in real time. Each student learned that growth is not limited to academic ability and performance. The cultivation of leadership, initiative, communication, and character skills is equally important.
Though the documentary was a success, the true success was reflected by Mrs. Tate’s intentional instructional approach, one that ensured her students recognize that every assignment, even in an elective classroom, is preparing them with the skills they need to be leaders of tomorrow’s world.