CUMMING, Ga. — Teachers at Sharon Elementary are paying it forward with paper clips. The school’s principal, Amy Bartlett, challenged staff to the red paper clip challenge, inspired by the popular Ted Talk: What if I could trade a red paper clip for a house?
Teachers were paired into groups according to their teaching grade level and sent out to the community to see what they could trade a red paperclip for that was bigger and better.
Before the groups were sent out on the challenge, they were asked to take an Enneagram test to determine the range of personalities within the group. The idea was that once they had an understanding of each other, they could work better as a team. 4th-grade teacher, Kristina Holmes, says that the test allowed them to be more aware of their co-workers’ strengths and weaknesses, “I feel like everyone should take this test. It really opened my eyes to how others work."
Some of the final trades in the red paper clip challenge included spa days, concert tickets, and signed sports memorabilia. Other groups like the 1st-grade teachers chose to pay it forward, giving their final $100 Walmart gift card to Cumming Elementary for school supplies.
The winners of the competition were announced during a training assembly Monday afternoon. The three winners included the team that came back with a giant Pikachu costume, the teachers that earned a sit down meeting with the county school superintendent, and the crew that came back with a beach getaway to 30A. The prizes for the winners and all other participants came from the paperclip trades.
Staff members say principal Bartlett comes up with a fun and different bonding activity every summer. 1st-grade teacher, Brandi Weigle, says they look forward to it each year, “Amy really focuses on us working as a team and making Sharon Elementary stronger through these exercises.”
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