RUMFORD — Mountain Valley High School launched a project last fall to use social media to boost student aspirations.
Alumni were asked to make a one-page slide featuring their picture, post-secondary training, profession and the hashtag #FalconsFly, Principal Matt Gilbert said. He suggested the graduates post the slides on Facebook or Twitter and e-mail them to him.
Chris Brennick, who graduated from Mountain Valley High School in 2006, provided the first slide, and for the next few months, alums ranging from the 1980s to 2015 began submitting slides. Typing in the hashtag #FalconsFly on Facebook brings up dozens of slides, along with several students lauding the idea.
“I thought it would be a good option to really look at our social media, and figure out how to motivate and inspire the students,” Gilbert said. “I think the Falcons Fly project is a good option that shows students career paths that they might not have thought of otherwise.”
Gilbert said Mountain Valley alumni from a variety of graduating classes were initially vigilant in sending in their post-graduation activities, but in recent months the flow of submitted slides has slowed.
“We’ve been trying to keep it going,” Gilbert said. “At first, we were able to hang up the slides around the school, and we made sure to present them during the Christmas in the Valley celebration. Lately, we’ve sorted the slides based on career paths, so the slides of alums who went into science-based careers would be posted in science classrooms, and English-based career slides would go into English classrooms.”
With Mountain Valley students heading to a career fair at Region 9 on March 1, Gilbert said the school will put the slides on display again to give students an idea of the career paths other graduates have pursued after graduation.
“As we get further into the year, we’ll definitely be making another push to get word of the #FalconsFly project out there,” Gilbert said. “It’s really nice to see all the great things that people are doing after they graduate from Mountain Valley.”
Gilbert said if any students want to post a slide featuring their information, they can post it on Facebook under the #FalconsFly hashtag, post it on Twitter, or send it to Mgilbert@rsu10.org.
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