Choose2Matter: Bettendorf 8th Graders Ready To Change The World! Press Release #bettpassion #coffeechugPLN

Contact – Aaron Maurer, Bettendorf Middle School (563) 359-3686 amaurer@bettendorf.k12.ia.us

Choose2Matter - http://choose2matter.org/

Media Opportunity

9 a.m. – 2:20 p.m. - Tuesday, September 3

Bettendorf High School, 3333 18^th St., Bettendorf

Contact – Celeste @ (563) 359-3681 ext. 3005 or (563) 529-2501

Social Media Hashtags - #choose2matter #bettpassion

BMS Students Learning that They Matter

& Working to Change Our World

Bettendorf Middle School 8^th grade students are attending a day-long workshop on Tuesday, September 3 to learn about changing lives and our world through Choose2Matter.  Angela Mairers consultant, speaker and former elementary teacher and Mark Moran are coming to work with Bettendorf Middle School students and staff on the concept behind Choose2Matter - when someone believes that they matter, they see the world in a different light, and behave differently. When people realize they matter they approach life and work in a manner that understands that their actions can have a positive impact on the world.

During a 2011 TEDxDesMoines presentation, “You Matter,” Angela Maiers spoke of how these two words can change lives and change our world, if we understand them and we leverage them in the right way.  Students everywhere reacted powerfully to this call to action, completing jaw-dropping quests to address problems in our world. These range from:

·       Building a library in a rural village in Ghana;

·       Raising money to build wells for communities without water;

·       Starting and scaling non-profit organizations to support issues in education, environment and other social causes; and

·       Creating innovative support mechanisms to help others in crisis.

Bettendorf Middle School students and staff will begin work on their call to action on Tuesday. Through December they will develop an action plan, work with experts/professionals, review plans, and implement their plans. Students will be hosting an exhibition of their project and work on Thursday, December 12. This unique opportunity will provide students a chance to utilize the power of student voice and their ideas to make a positive change in the world.