Fall 2025 Academic Support Highlights at Florence Howard Elementary School
Fall at Florence Howard Elementary School is always full of momentum, but this year brought an especially strong start to our Academic Support efforts. Through engaging clubs, meaningful incentives, creative enrichment, parent connection, and hands-on experiences, we worked alongside FHES teachers and administrators to help students learn, grow, and explore new interests beyond the classroom. From Cooking Club and volleyball drills to chalk art, theater trips, and mindfulness exercises, this semester’s activities built community, confidence, and curiosity - all essential parts of our cradle-to-college/career support in the Avenue community.
Extracurricular Clubs: A Semester of Creativity, Movement, and Connection
We officially launched our fall Clubs in September, offering six unique enrichment opportunities designed to expose students to new skills, creative outlets, and positive peer experiences. Each Club is led through a valued community partnership, bringing real-world expertise and authentic learning right to students.
Cooking Club with The Cookery Project
Cooking Club continues to be one of the most anticipated programs each year. Led by our partners at The Cookery Project, students learn real culinary techniques, kitchen safety, measurement, and the joy of creating something delicious. Just as importantly, each session includes a strong nutrition component centered around the food traffic light system - a simple, kid-friendly framework that helps students understand which foods they can enjoy often (green), sometimes (yellow), or in moderation (red).
This nutrition lesson is a cornerstone of Cooking Club. One of our primary goals is to help children learn how to make healthy choices on their own and develop lifelong skills they can use both now and in the future. For some students, especially those who may occasionally prepare their own snacks or meals at home, knowing basic techniques coupled with learning how to identify balanced options empowers them to feel confident and capable in the kitchen.
This semester, students have made Greek Hummus and Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps. Check out these easy-to-make recipes below:
Greek Hummus
Ingredients
8 tbsp prepared plain hummus
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp paprika
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste
Pita bread for dipping
Toppings
2 tbsp feta
2 tbsp diced tomatoes
2 oz diced kalamata olives
Green onions
Instructions
Mix hummus, garlic powder, paprika, and salt. Spread into a dish and garnish with toppings. Serve with pita bread.
Chicken Caesar Salad Wrap
Ingredients
1 flour tortilla
6 oz grilled chicken
½ cup chopped romaine
⅛ cup shredded Parmesan
¼ cup Caesar dressing
¼ Roma tomato, diced
Instructions
Toss lettuce, cheese, chicken, tomato, and dressing together. Add to the center of a tortilla. Roll burrito-style and enjoy.
Cooking Club remains a hands-on way for students to build confidence and independence—plus, it’s just fun to eat what you make.
Art Club with Mobile Arts Council & Amp Up Arts
Art Club, led in partnership with the Mobile Arts Council through the Amp Up Arts teaching artist program, gives students a vibrant space to explore creativity, emotion, and imagination. For many children, structured art opportunities are limited outside of school, so this club becomes an especially meaningful outlet, one where they can express themselves freely, build confidence, and discover new ways of communicating their ideas and feelings. Art naturally supports social-emotional learning, fine motor development, stress relief, and creative problem solving, making it a powerful tool for helping students grow both academically and personally.
Each month this semester introduced a new project connected to both artistic skills and academic standards.
In September, students created watercolor fall leaves by doing texture rubbings with crayons or oil pastels and then layering watercolor washes on top. Through this project, they practiced observing nature, learned about color mixing and texture, and connected their work to science lessons about plant life cycles and seasonal change.
In October, students tapped into the Halloween spirit with chalk bats on black paper. This lesson introduced them to the concept of artistic mediums (chalk is a dry medium!) and guided them through exploring positive and negative space, contrast, and the science behind shadows and nocturnal animals.
In November, students made paper turkey “fortune cookies” using simple origami folds. They decorated them with colored pencils using layering techniques and wrote gratitude messages to tuck inside. This hands-on project blended creativity with mindfulness, offering students a fun way to reflect on what they appreciate.
Art Club consistently proves to be more than a fun activity; it is a calming, joyful, and empowering space for students to express themselves and discover the value of creativity in everyday life. Art Club continues to ignite imagination while reinforcing cross-curricular learning in science, literacy, and emotional expression.
Theater Club with Sunnyside Theater
Theater Club, led in partnership with Sunnyside Theater, has proved to be one of the most interactive and confidence-building experiences offered this fall. Students explore foundational performance skills such as simple blocking and stage directions, expressing emotions, understanding character relationships, and basic improvisation. The sessions are intentionally hands-on, with students working in pairs or small groups to create scenes, solve movement challenges, and work together to bring their ideas to life on the spot. This collaboration also set the stage for one of the most exciting field trips of the semester (more on that below).
While some students naturally gravitate toward performing, Theater Club offers meaningful benefits for every child, including those who may be shy, hesitant, or unfamiliar with theater. The collaborative structure encourages students to use their voices, make eye contact, listen actively, and communicate clearly. Through improvisation and role-play, they learn flexibility, problem solving, and how to think on their feet. These skills translate far beyond the stage, supporting social-emotional development, teamwork, and confidence in school settings and everyday interactions.
For many students, this may be their first exposure to theater arts. Having a safe, structured environment to explore creativity can help students discover new interests or strengths they didn’t know they had. Whether they dream of performing or simply enjoy trying something new, Theater Club gives them the chance to build communication skills, express themselves, and experience the joy of collaborating with peers, an opportunity that can have lasting impact long after the final bow.
Garden Club with Mobile Arts Council and Mobile Urban Growers
Garden Club, led through our partnership with Mobile Arts Council and Mobile Urban Growers, gives students a true hands-on introduction to the natural world and the basics of growing their own food. Each session blends practical gardening skills with meaningful science lessons, helping students understand not just how things grow, but why they grow. Students learn about photosynthesis, seasonal plant changes, soil composition, and the role fertilizer plays in helping plants thrive. And yes, the “cow manure… gross!” moment that always gets a good laugh.
With gloves, shovels, and watering cans in hand, students dig into real gardening tasks such as weeding, watering, preparing soil, and exploring the scents and textures of herbs and plants like parsley, rosemary, lavender, and even radishes. They love getting their hands dirty (literally) and discovering that gardening is both science and art.
Beyond the fun, Garden Club builds valuable life skills. Students learn patience, responsibility, environmental awareness, and how to care for living things. They see firsthand how food grows and gain a better understanding of the effort and time that go into producing the fruits and vegetables we eat. For children who may not otherwise have access to gardening or green spaces, these lessons can spark long-term curiosity about nutrition, sustainability, and the natural world. Ultimately, Garden Club provides students with knowledge they can use at home, in school, and throughout their lives.
Sports Club with the City of Mobile Parks & Recreation Department
Sports Club, led by Coach Dorothy from the City of Mobile Parks & Recreation Department, has focused on volleyball this semester, but the lessons stretch far beyond learning how to bump, serve, spike and move on the court. Each session emphasizes teamwork, communication, coordination, and perseverance. Students practice drills that strengthen their agility and reflexes, develop body awareness, and encourage them to stay active in a fun, supportive environment.
Just as importantly, Sports Club helps students build confidence and resilience. Volleyball requires trust - trusting your teammates, trusting your timing, and trusting yourself to try again after a missed ball. For many students, these experiences nurture leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving skills they can carry into the classroom and everyday life. Even students who may not consider themselves “athletes” find a welcoming space to move their bodies, support their peers, and celebrate small victories. Sports Club shows them that being active can be enjoyable, empowering, and accessible to everyone.
Movement Club — Obstacle Courses, Dance, Yoga, & More
Movement Club gives students the chance to explore a wide range of physical activities designed to build confidence, coordination, and body awareness. These sessions introduce different styles of movement, helping students discover that fitness can be fun, expressive, and accessible to everyone no matter their skill level, interests, or experience.
In September, students tackled a lively obstacle course led by our friend Trell from Bay City Fitness, a longtime Fuse Project supporter and veteran Lip Sync Battle competitor. His upbeat energy and creative course design had students running, balancing, jumping, and working together as they tested their strength and agility. It was an exciting kickoff that set the tone for the rest of the semester.
October and November shifted into yoga and mindful movement, where students learned beginner poses, breath work, balance, and grounding techniques. They practiced the “balloon breath” method, explored calming visualization exercises, and wrapped up with a relaxing savasana/body scan. Many students shared afterward that they felt calmer, more relaxed, or even sleepy. Several even said they wanted to use these techniques at home when feeling nervous, overwhelmed, or having trouble settling down at night.
A key emphasis throughout Movement Club is the importance of cross-training, the idea that different forms of movement can strengthen one another. Students learned that athletes often use yoga or dance to improve flexibility, coordination, and injury prevention, while dancers and performers benefit from strength training to jump higher, turn faster, and maintain stamina. Understanding this builds a foundation for healthy lifelong habits: trying new forms of activity, appreciating how the body works, and recognizing that fitness is multifaceted.
Next semester, Movement Club will introduce a dance component through a special partnership with Mobile Ballet, giving students the opportunity to experience artistry, rhythm, and expression through movement. This addition will continue expanding the way students understand their bodies and how different styles of movement can work together to build strength, resilience, and confidence.
Dave & Buster’s Incentive Trip for ACAP Proficiency
In September, we celebrated 110 students earning proficient scores on the spring 2025 ACAP (Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program) by taking a special field trip to Dave & Buster’s.
ACAP measures student achievement in English Language Arts, Math, and Science for grades 2–8. Proficiency indicates that a student meets or exceeds grade-level expectations. Reaching proficient status is a major accomplishment, and we were thrilled to celebrate their hard work.
Students enjoyed games, food, time with friends, and the satisfaction of seeing their academic effort recognized in a big way.
Spaghetti Parent Night
FHES hosted its Fall Spaghetti Parent Night, an open house event that invited families to meet teachers and learn about upcoming curriculum and school expectations. As parents exited, they received a spaghetti dinner to take home, thanks to a smooth assembly line powered by the incredible FHES cafeteria staff and Fuse Project staff and volunteers. (Special shoutout for lending a helping hand to our Advisory Association member, Weathers Bolt, and Julia Kristman who is partnered with us through YPofMOB’s Board Readiness Program!) Events like this strengthen home and school partnerships and create a welcoming environment for families.
The Stinky Cheese Man Field Trip
In partnership with Sunnyside Theater, FHES 2nd graders attended a performance of The Stinky Cheese Man & Other Fairly Stupid Tales. For many, this was a very first live theater experience.
This hilarious adaptation, based on Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith’s classic book, turned familiar fairy tales upside down with goofy characters, playful narration, and plenty of silly surprises. Students enjoyed watching stories like “The Gingerbread Man” and “Chicken Little” reimagined in unexpected, laugh-out-loud ways.
The trip was hosted at Baker High School and expanded students’ exposure to the arts, storytelling, and performance, further enriching their educational experience.
Looking Ahead
Fall was filled with collaboration, creativity, hands-on learning, and breakthrough experiences at Florence Howard Elementary School. As we continue the school year, Fuse Project remains committed to supporting educators, empowering students, and bringing high-quality academic and enrichment opportunities to the Avenue community.
These moments of growth, discovery, and joy are possible because of a caring community that believes in our students and our mission. Together, with our school partners, families, and generous supporters, we are helping build a brighter path for every child to thrive. If you feel inspired by what’s happening at Florence Howard, we invite you to support our work with a donation to help keep these programs thriving.