New competition teaching students important social skills
SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (WISH) — Students at Shelbyville Middle School are learning social skills in a unique way through a new competition at the school. It is modeled after a national competition called the “The Amazing Shake” in Atlanta, Georgia.
The school held the competition Friday and put 51 high-ability eighth grade students to the challenge.
“I really want them to be able to walk in that first interview confident, knowing they’ve done this before in front of a friendly crowd and be able to take that next step,” said Kristiaan Rawlings, an English Teacher at Shelbyville Middle School.
17 stations were set up all throughout the library and students had one minute to make an introduction, shake a hand and work to leave a lasting impression.
“This is the most nervous I have ever seen these students because it is really difficult in one minute to make a great impression, introduce yourself, and be able to answer a prompt that frankly you’re not sure what it’s going to be,” Rawlings added.
Students were judged based on their confidence, engagement and overall social skills by community members
“They’re asking us questions about how we can shape our future and how we can improve Shelby County and what our career goals are going to be like,” said eighth grade Student Evelyn Kiefer. “It’s been a little nerve-racking but I think it’s helped me a lot. A lot of them have given me good pointers about my future after high school.”
Rawlings said he hopes to expand the competition in the future and maybe even send some students to the national competition.