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Making their pitch at Great Hollow

February 5, 2024

Students taking the new eighth grade social studies honors classes at Great Hollow Middle School have been working on a research project focusing on 1920s changemakers.

Their task was to give an "Elevator Pitch" about a specific individual.

You may be asking what an elevator pitch is? It is a quick and persuasive speech that generates interest in a person, product, service, or business. The name elevator pitch is used because the conversation usually takes place within the amount of time of a short elevator ride.

Michaela Riviello, Richard Restifo, and Francesca Casale’s Eighth Grade Honors social studies classes completed the two week intensive research project with the help of GH Librarian, Deanna Jakubowsky and Library TA, Caroline Conte. Students were given a historical changemaker from the 1920s and researched them using library resources including databases, websites found through Destiny Webpath Express, and books.

Students had to research the life of their changemaker, and prepare a 90 second “Elevator Pitch,” contextualizing the 1920s era as well as presenting two lines of reasoning as to why this person is a changemaker. A changemaker is someone who takes creative action to solve a social problem.

Students have been developing these social studies skills all year in the new eighth grade honors course.

Great job by all involved!

students presenting in front of the classstudent presenting in front of the class

students presenting in front of the classstudent presenting in front of the class

classroom activityScreen projection of the project