Sixth grade students at Butler County Middle School recently faced a challenge with almost no instructions: work in a group, and stack paper as high as it can go. The only materials allowed were four pieces of tape and a stack of paper. Principal Tim Freeman shared how the activity put the Collaboration pillar of Butler County's Portrait of a Learner into action, with no teacher-led steps to follow.
Without a set plan handed to them, students had to build one themselves. Groups had to talk through ideas, test what worked, and adjust when a tower leaned or fell. That kind of teamwork reflects the durable skills at the heart of the Collaboration pillar: teamwork, taking responsibility within a group, and building on each other's strengths rather than working alone.
The activity gave students a low-pressure way to practice skills they will use far beyond a classroom. Learning to listen to a teammate's idea, compromise on a plan, and keep trying after a setback are the same skills that show up on a job site, in a family, and in any team effort. Butler County Middle School continues to find creative ways to make the Portrait of a Learner visible in everyday classroom moments.
It's a small activity with a big lesson: growth happens together.
We are ONE TEAM with ONE VISION that makes us BUTLER STRONG.
