The Amazing Shake
Mikiah Jennings and Malachi Woodard, two 7th grade students, and KhyliPaige Gilbert and Christian Nathaniel, two 8th grade students represented Fairfield Middle School for the first time at the National Amazing Shake Competition hosted by Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia. This competition was held February 22 - 24, 2019, with over 266 5th - 8thgrade students participating from 21 states and 2 countries ( Nigeria and Honduras).
Fairfield Middle held its own Amazing Shake competition on January 22, 2019, and students tested their competency in the following categories: Giving a Toast, Firing Someone, Doing an Infomercial, Setting a Table, and Giving an Interview. Representatives from Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce and TruVista served as judges for the competition.
The Amazing Shake Competition assesses a student’s ability to maintain their professional composure in real-world situations such as Do they maintain eye contact during conversations?; Do they know how to introduce themselves?; and most importantly, Do they know how to give a proper handshake? Judges were not only looking for students who excelled in these areas, but they were also looking for students who exhibited appreciation, confidence, compassion, depth, enthusiasm, honesty, humor, and common sense. “Be your authentic self!” was repeated throughout the weekend and our students exceeded their personal expectations. Khyli-Paige Gilbert says, “I was not even expecting to win the school’s Amazing Shake Competition. So, to go to Atlanta and place in the top 90 was exhilarating.”
To prepare our students for this competition, we met weekly to discuss and practice introductions, maintaining eye contact, the art of conversations, how to set a table, and how to dress for success. We also brought in community members to talk with our students. Out of 266 students, Christian Nathaniel made it to the top 20. When asked his initial thoughts about the contest he said: “It was a great feeling to win the school’s competition knowing that all of the competitors were well-rounded individuals.” He went on to say, “My initial goal was to get to the top 80, but when I heard my name called for the top 40, the only thing I could think was, wow! When I heard my name called for the top 20, my heart dropped to my feet and the only thing I could think was I can win this thing.”