KNIGHT
BRIGAD What started with one Gannon University student’s idea last spring has since grown into a collaborative community effort that has established the Knight Brigade program at Strong Vincent Middle School, a community school, bringing social and emotional education to sixth-grade students.
“It wouldn’t have happened if Hannah (Rhodes) didn’t come to me with the idea,” said Nancy Morris ’03, ’12M assistant professor in Gannon’s education program. Hannah Rhodes ’20 – a recent graduate of the early childhood special education program at Gannon – had approached Morris to share her idea following a positive behavior supports class. “I was working at Strong Vincent Middle School … and realized the strategies we were learning in class could benefit the students at the school,” Rhodes said. Morris has participated in service-learning with Strong Vincent for several years. So, when Rhodes came to her with the idea, she said it was easy to contact Katrina Byrd, the community school director at Strong Vincent Middle School, to figure out a way to put the idea into action. Strong Vincent Middle School works with United Way of Erie County, Lead Partner Gannon University and Corporate Partner Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield. As a lead partner, Gannon helps to mobilize community assets and coordinate resources in cooperation with Strong Vincent’s school staff. The community school model is a strategy (Left) Hannah Rhodes ’20 and a Strong Vincent Middle School student in the inaugural Knight Brigade program.
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GANNON MAGAZINE MAY 2020
(Top and right) Knight Brigade participants and Gannon education majors came together for a final celebration.
