Students RISING to Success

KINGSTON – The rising grade 5 students are rising to success!

This summer, the Kingston City School District (KCSD) Rise to 5 program has been helping its future grade 5 students build the confidence and skills they need to shine.

Led by KCSD teachers Ms. Fay, Mrs. Kotsol, Ms. Hickey, Mrs. Jacques, and Mrs. Alhona, students have been diving deep into math, ELA, and social-emotional learning through hands-on, collaborative experiences.

Some of the activities that students have been working on include:
• Creating inspiring posters featuring their “one word” for success after reading “One Word for Kids”;
• Designing custom chocolate bars following their non-fiction unit on the History of Chocolate;
• Building traditional Inukshuk structures while learning about Native Alaskan cultures;
• Writing creative “cool bean” poetry inspired by “The Cool Bean”; and
• Going on exciting bug hunts with partners from Wild Earth.

These engaging activities aren’t just fun—they’re building the social skills, empathy, and problem-solving abilities that students need to thrive in grade 5 and beyond.