Student Highlights
Daniel Jenkins Increasing Awareness and Skills Through Book Club
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North Charleston, SC – April was National School Library Month and the Daniel Jenkins Academy (DJA) administration wanted to spotlight the school’s teacher-librarian, Fatieka Stevens, and the DJA Book Club. The DJA Book Club was initiated by Stevens (who is also the school’s 2024-2025
Teacher of the Year) two years ago to foster students’ love for reading and improves their communication and public speaking skills. “This club not only encourages the act of reading and increasing reading comprehension skills, but also encourages the exploration of unfamiliar concepts and the growth of skills that are essential to each student’s success,” explained Stevens. Students across various grade levels participate in the DJA Book Club. April’s
featured book was This is My America by Kim Johnson. Students strengthened their critical thinking skills by making inferences, drawing connections, and exploring real-world themes such as justice, family, and perseverance by reading the novel.
The DJA Book Club encourages students to engage deeply with the text, reflect on complex issues, and express their ideas with clarity and confidence. This experience builds strong literacy skills and inspires students to connect literature to their lives and the world around them. “As we observed the students who participated in the program, we noted their vocabulary exploration and expansion as well as their appreciation of varied perspectives,” added Principal Quintella Middleton.
The school appreciates Stevens and all DJA Book Club members for demonstrating their passion for reading and sharing their knowledge and perspectives with one another.
Conflict Resolution Meets Culinary Arts
North Charleston, SC – Things got "heated" during Daniel Jenkins Academy’s (DJA) last conflict resolution seminar. The program's Chief Executive Director and seminar facilitator, Sylvia Evans, introduced a unique, yet effective method of creating connections among students in ways that inspired communication, collaboration, and the creation of "flavorful outcomes.”
Students were grouped in pairs and tasked with preparing a three-course meal that consisted of a freshly prepared tossed salad, chicken and shrimp alfredo, steamed broccoli, and banana pudding for dessert.
"Infusing culinary arts with conflict resolution was a deliberate decision that I hope would yield powerful outcomes for the students and create a memorable experience they would never forget,” said Evans. “It was more than even I could've imagined.”
Evans highlighted several goals and impacts of the initiative:
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Working together for a positive outcome - Many students come from environments where negative influences shape their decisions, often leading to poor outcomes. I wanted them to see that when they work together toward something positive, the results can be beneficial. The items selected for the meal were decided by the collaboration of the class.
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Building leadership and accountability - Each cooking station had a designated leader responsible for ensuring that everyone contributed and stayed focused. This built a culture of accountability and teamwork where students looked out for one another.
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Experiencing the power of a family meal - Several students shared that they had never prepared a meal for their family or experienced sitting down to eat together. This reality made it even more important to expose them to the emotional and social value of shared meals.
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Reinforcing the importance of education - Cooking required the students to measure, follow recipes, read instructions, and use math skills - all essential life skills. This experience highlighted the real-world application of education, showing that without basic literacy, math, and comprehension skills, success is much harder to achieve.
“By integrating culinary arts with conflict resolution, I believe we are not just teaching students how to cook,’ added Evans. “This is a creative and innovative way of equipping students with the tools to navigate life successfully, build stronger relationships, and make better choices for their future. With the right tools and support, these students will not slip through the cracks.”
DJA students left the experience with positive memories, and a “taste” for more opportunities like this in the future.
“I enjoyed the fact that I was able to prepare foods that I had never cooked before, especially the shrimp alfredo,” explained freshman NyQuan Campbell. “I didn’t think I had the skills to do it. Now, I am willing to prepare this dish and more at home. My peers and I had a fun time; everyone respected each other, and the food was delicious.”
“What I enjoyed most about cooking and dining with my schoolmates was the sense of belonging,” Katredra “Kat” Cunningham, a sophomore, expressed. “Everyone was so nice and cheerful. There was so much laughter. We may not know each other well, but in that moment, we all got along and felt connected to one another. That to me, was most important.”
DJA students attend HBCU Fair and tour schools
North Charleston, SC - The month of November was an active, enlightening, and motivating one for students at Daniel Jenkins Academy (DJA). On November 8, 2024, students attended “Destination HBCU,” an event hosted by Charleston County School District that spotlighted historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) as well as provided students and other attendees the opportunity to speak with college and career representatives. Students also participated in trivia for prizes and were entertained by student performances.
“I really enjoyed the trivia and learning about all sorts of careers,” said DJA student Brendan Johnson. “I am particularly interested in pursuing a career in firefighting because I want to save lives and working three days per week while earning full-time pay is a bonus as well.”
That following week, students traveled to three universities: Coastal Carolina University, Francis Marion University, and South Carolina State University. For some of our students, this trip afforded them their first time ever visiting a post-
secondary institution. Students were excited to visit the various campuses, learn what majors are offered at each university, and learn a bit more about what college life has to offer. Another student, Tiana Ponder, marveled at the warm welcome and wide array of food options provided at Francis Marion.
“Our tour guide [at Francis Marion] made us feel welcome as soon as we stepped off the bus,” explained Ponder. “When we went to Claflin University, I enjoyed learning about their robotics program, and I felt a sense of belonging.”
Farmers Market visits Daniel Jenkins Academy
North Charleston, SC - Daniel Jenkins Academy’s students and their families participated in a unique and special experience earlier this month - a local farmers market sponsored by Charleston County School District’s Department of Nutrition Services and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture.
Each student and one of their loved ones “shopped” for the freshest produce and homegrown grains. Limehouse Produce (located in North Charleston) provided white potatoes, sweet potatoes, collard greens, peaches, an assortment of peppers, and more. Marsh Hen Mill (located on Edisto Island) provided sea island red peas, unicorn cornmeal, heirloom yellow grits, and Carolina gold rice “middlins.”
The greatest takeaways from this event were increasing awareness about these local businesses to students and their families as well as encouraging them to consume unfamiliar, healthy, delicious, and local food options.
Recipes were provided to boost creativity and inspiration in the kitchen.