In today's digital age, the divide between those with access to technology and those without is apparent. At CVC's Middle School, we are on a mission to bridge this gap, transforming our students into justice seekers and community builders who carry out God's kingdom work in a technology-driven world.

At CVC, we are committed to encouraging intentional transformation and inspiring young minds to make a lasting impact on the world. Our mission is to equip and inspire hearts and minds to transform the world for Christ. The Teaching for Transformation (TfT) curriculum framework allows our educators to bring this mission to fruition.

Here's a quick course on TfT

Seven years ago, CVC introduced Teaching for Transformation to its instructors. The Teaching for Transformation framework is at the heart of CVC's educational approach. Each educator at CVC identifies their "deep hope," a long-term aspiration that guides every aspect of their teaching and learning. Jess DeWit, Director of Learning, explains, "CVC's deep hope is this 60-year hope. We recognize that 60 years from now, we may no longer be around, but we're planting seeds in our teaching and in our work that, hopefully, we'll see some completion later." Christy Boyd, Middle School Science teacher, shares, "My deep hope is that we will think and act like scientists. [That] we will make sense of God's creation. [That] we will work together to find solutions to real problems so that we can do the kingdom work together both now and later." 

Central to the TfT framework are "throughlines"—discipleship habits and practices designed to shape learners' character and actions, guiding them to understand their individual role in God's story and transform the world around them. 

These throughlines help students and teachers envision what it means to be a disciple within God's story, expressing a vision for how students will live and engage with the world after graduation. There are ten throughlines: Idolatry Discerning, Creation Enjoying, Beauty Creating, Order Discovering, Justice Seeking, Servant Working, Earth Keeping, Community Building, and Image Reflecting. By focusing on who the learner is called to be within God's story, throughlines encourage learners to actively participate in forming culture and pursue a transformational worldview. 

One way to bring throughlines to life is through Formational Learning Experiences (FLEx). These are real-world projects where students engage in meaningful work that addresses real needs. Examples of FLEx projects include environmental clean-ups, community service initiatives, and storytelling events for seniors. How can our students do real work with real people that helps meet a real need? 

Bringing FLEx projects to life

Christy Boyd's 7th—and 8th-grade science class dedicated itself to the throughlines of community building and justice seeking. They identified a group of people who needed justice and worked together to find solutions to build community and address the digital divide.

Justice-seeking isn't limited to courts or grand-scale reforms; it's also about recognizing more minor injustices in our communities and addressing them with compassion and action. For senior residents at Sierra Village, the lack of access to or understanding of technology wasn't just a technical gap—it was a barrier to connection, independence, and inclusion in a rapidly digital world. By bridging this divide, our students embraced their role as justice seekers, working to ensure that no one is left behind in the story of God's kingdom.

What exactly is the digital divide?

The "digital divide" refers to the gap between people with adequate knowledge of and access to technology, such as the internet and computers, and those without. 
Bridging this digital divide has significant implications that go beyond technology access. It encourages equality by guaranteeing that individuals of all ages and backgrounds can access essential information and resources. 

Real Stories, Real Impact

Christy Boyd's 7th and 8th-grade science class proactively addressed the digital divide by reaching out to residents at Sierra Village's senior living community. Their efforts went beyond teaching technology; they were about building relationships and fostering community. As Bailey aptly put it, "Now I think that after learning about the digital divide all around the world, it's a big problem, and it doesn't matter if it just affects me; it affects other people who are God's children."

By promoting digital literacy among our senior communities, our students are contributing to a more inclusive society that enhances social participation, allowing cross-generational engagement.

Students can develop empathy and service skills while our senior community gains confidence and independence. By preparing them to address real-world issues, we empower them to make a meaningful difference today.

Student and Resident Reflections

Residents like Anne and Janice expressed gratitude for the students' help, emphasizing the importance of intergenerational learning and community building. This project was a lesson in justice-seeking for the students, understanding that making a difference often starts with seemingly small, everyday actions. Anne remarked, "These middle schoolers are delightful. I can't say enough good things about them, and it was delightful, and I learned so much in such a short period of time, and I hope they come back." Their work can inspire us all to believe in the power of small actions to bring about significant change.

The experiences of our students highlight the transformative power of these projects. Allison shared, "After we went and did that experience, I feel that we should be doing more to help with bridging that digital divide because it's a bigger problem than I thought before." Wren added, "Now I think we should go and help [community members struggling with technology]." Another student said, "From this experience, I learned that even next-door to me there are a lot of people who don't know how to use technology, so that means there are people around the world that don't know how to use it, and I feel like we need to help them too."

Christy Boyd said, "I expected to help [the elderly] connect more with people in their lives, but what I saw was that we were building community right there in that moment...we were building new connections and seeing God's plan play out for us as believers and live that out."

A Call to Action

We invite educators and schools to embrace the power of FLEx. These projects have the potential to transform lessons into meaningful, real-world work that not only deepens learning but also inspires students to be active participants in God's story.

We hope educators see that these experiences are not just additions to their curriculum—they are integral opportunities to live out their mission. Jess DeWit hopes "...that teachers would realize that it's worth the time and energy to put forth. I hope for everyone in general, the CVC community, to learn more about justice seeking and community building and how we can live that out in God's kingdom."