In Pelham Middle School, the Community Project is an essential part of eighth-grade students’ academic path. Throughout the school year, young teens take on a challenging and exciting project that significantly impacts the Pelham community. The project is crafted to encourage students to explore their interests and passions while developing a program, project, or activity that benefits the town in multiple ways. It can be in the case that students choose that they are passionate about the environment or ending world hunger, and be put with others who have a similar interest and work to create a project that positively influences the community. The Community Project offers a unique opportunity for students to exercise their creativity, take responsibility, and gain valuable real-world experience that will be helpful to them throughout their lives. It is considered an invaluable part of the eighth-grade curriculum at PMS, providing students with a fulfilling educational experience that can be remembered within the whole town of Pelham.

As students progress to the eighth grade, they are presented with a range of advanced classes to choose from, such as Studio in Art and Algebra 1, which are typically offered in high school. This also means that high school credit can be added to a student’s resume, increasing their competitiveness compared to other students when enrolling in college. Participating in high school classes often brings higher expectations and harsher grading rubrics. This transition also brings along with it more responsibility and a greater need for time management skills. Even if students opt not to pursue advanced classes, they are still under pressure to develop a high school mindset as they prepare for the next level. Pelham High School requires more maturity and work ethic from students, and this is reflected in the expectations placed on eighth-grade classes as well. The Community Project in 8th grade is vital to both honor and non-honor students because it’s part of the eighth-grade curriculum that preps students for high school. There is more independence in the project for students and teaches students to pace themselves throughout the year. In the end, not only does the project impact a student’s grade, but it also impacts the community of Pelham. 

The Community Project is a chance for students to give back to the town of Pelham and improve the community that they grew up in. Pelham is a great and supportive group, but no city is perfect. Students in the eighth grade of PMS can use the Community Project to bring their community a step closer to utopia. This experience gives students of Pelham something to carry throughout their lives because it’s one of the earliest forms of social skills that individuals of Pelham are exposed to. People must be taught this lesson at a young age because they will be able to think more critically and be aware of the world around them at an earlier stage. The Pelham Community Project is important because it’s one of the few ways that young people in the town of Pelham learn the skills needed for the real world.