Brookyln Center Community School issued the following announcement on March 22.
Each staff member in BCCS has a full life outside of school walls. There are forces that drive them and lead them to stand front and center in their lives in many ways. Through this campaign called Beyond BC, we invite staff to showcase their uniqueness and authentic selves.
“I learn a lot from the students,” said Angel Smaller, 21st Century Lead Staff at Brooklyn Center Middle and High School STEAM. Plain and simple, Smaller is in it for the students. “I think young people have a lot of wisdom that they don’t necessarily know how to access. Helping students get in touch with different parts of themselves and learning from them in the process is what keeps me coming back.”
Smaller is relatively new to Brooklyn Center Community Schools, coming aboard in October of 2021 after his sister, who also works in BCCS, encouraged him to apply. Even though he has only been on staff for a few months, Smaller is impressed and encouraged by the work that BCCS is doing to help shape the lives of students both in and out of the classroom. “During my interview, I feel like the people I was speaking to were moving things in a really positive direction for the school and the community,” reflected Smaller. “That is something I have always been attracted to, when people aren’t afraid to shake things up for the better.”
Smaller’s role within BCCS primarily revolves around the LEAP program, which offers students in grades 6-12 extra academic and exciting enrichment opportunities after school to enhance their learning outside of the classroom. This program allows BCCS students to participate in a wide variety of activities in categories such as music, physical activity, STEAM, leadership and more. Currently, the program includes a beauty and makeup club, art and strategy games club, cooking club, open gym for basketball and soccer, and hopefully will be able to offer a film club and ping pong club in the near future. “Part of the strength of the program is being diverse in the range of activities,” said Smaller.
In his own free time, Smaller enjoys playing basketball or volleyball with friends, reading, and creating his own art, which he became interested in when he was in high school. When reflecting on how his interest in art began, Smaller remembers the origin as something he did in class during lectures. “It was really improvisational,” he said. “I realized I was paying better attention in school and learning more when I was drawing and making art and I just sort of stuck with it.”
Smaller’s art
Smaller can relate to the students in his LEAP program easily because they remind him of some of his own feelings and interests when he was their age. “I learn so much from the students,” said Smaller. “They keep me up to date on trends and types of media they are engaging with, and they remind me of feelings I forgot I had in middle or high school. They are really intuitive and wise in their own way.”
Even though he is in his first year at BCCS, Smaller feels like it is a good fit and is feeling encouraged by the work he is doing. “I just want to make schools a better place where students can feel comfortable and be present, representing their true selves.”
Original source can be found here.
