Extended Day Programming (EDP) brought energy and purpose to campus with its recent March Madness Day, creating a dynamic space for students to explore curiosity, spark creativity, and grow through self-exploration. The day-long event featured a variety of sports and ended with an exciting student vs. staff/family basketball game, helping students the chance to discover new interests, express themselves, and build skills essential for academic and social success.
The E.L. Haynes Graduate Profile encourages students to actively explore their interests and curiosities. March Madness Sports Day provided the perfect platform for students to step outside their usual routines and engage in different sports, physical activities, and team settings. By participating in multiple events, students explored different athletic disciplines, from flag football to basketball, allowing them to identify new passions or deepen existing ones. This active exploration keeps students engaged and sparks curiosity in areas they may not have otherwise considered. When students try new sports or activities, they are encouraged to approach them with an open mind, fostering a spirit of exploration vital to their overall growth.
This sense of curiosity and exploration connects directly to cultivating creativity, another crucial component of the graduate profile. In sports, especially in fast-paced games like basketball, creativity is essential. Students must think quickly on their feet, develop new strategies in real-time, and adapt their tactics based on evolving game dynamics. Basketball’s fluid, fast-paced nature encourages students to think outside the box, make split-second decisions, and adapt to challenges. Whether devising a play or finding a creative solution to a game’s obstacle, students exercise their creativity in the moment.
Physical play itself has a powerful relationship with creativity. Sports are about getting exercise and envisioning new possibilities, creating team strategies, innovating new ways to move, or experimenting with different techniques. During the March Madness Sports Day, students could think creatively both individually and as part of a team. For example, during the basketball game, students had the chance to explore their leadership abilities and creativity by experimenting with various roles on the court. Some students may have found themselves in unexpected positions, needing to adjust their game style, thus fostering a deeper sense of creative problem-solving.
In the student vs. staff/family basketball game, students had the opportunity to interact with staff members outside the classroom. This dynamic fostered an environment where creativity and curiosity flourished, as students were not only observing but also actively participating and engaging with different perspectives. It encouraged them to consider leadership, collaboration, and how creativity manifests in all aspects of life, whether in a classroom, a sports arena, or beyond. Witnessing staff members participating in physical activities gave students a more holistic view of the importance of creativity in diverse contexts, reinforcing that creativity is not confined to arts or academic pursuits but extends to all aspects of life, including sports and teamwork.
Thank you to the many families, students, and staff who attended the big game to cheer on our athletes and the staff and students who organized the middle vs. high school cheer team competition. Special shout-out to the EDP Team for making this cross-campus experience for our community!
Written by Rasheed Copeland | Rasheed Copeland serves as the Operations Manager at the Kansas Ave Campus. When he’s not managing and fulfilling the operational needs of his school community, he enjoys writing and performing his own poetic works, blending creativity with leadership in all aspects of his life. He is a father and a multiple recipient of the D.C. Commission of the Arts and Humanities.
Editorial Fellows are E.L. Haynes staff with a penchant for storytelling, writing, and the visual arts. Fellows develop and publish original stories that amplify the many voices and perspectives of the E.L. Haynes community.