There's a little middle school Branford that's making big waves on the shoreline and beyond, including in state contests: Connecticut Experiential Learning Center (CELC). The private school for grades 5 to 8 is holding an open house at 28 School Street in Stony Creek on Saturday, Oct. 15, from 1 to 3 p.m.

Last year, five CELC students entered the Connecticut State Science and Engineering Fair, with four students taking home some of the contest's top awards.

"There were about 100 schools participating, and during the awards ceremony, and we kept hearing our kids' names called out," said CELC co-founder Melinda Alcosser.

It was a repeat of CELC's first performance at the fair two years earlier, when five of seven CELC students took home some top honors. Because CELC takes on other state and national challenges, such as working with professional architects to design this year's national junior CANstruction entry (experiencing science, technology, engineering, art, and math principles while providing food for local food banks), the state science fair is a bi-annual curriculum offering.

During CELC's first winning foray into the science fair in 2013, "One student had a handwritten note left on his project from a professor at the University of New Haven," said CELC co-founder Maria Mortali. "It said if he wished to continue his work, they would consider giving him a scholarship to study at UNH. These things really happen!"

Last year, a CELC student team of Sue Hemingway of Branford and Sophie Burdick of Deep River won special recognition for designing an app, "BullyCheck," which scours a user's social media to flag hurtful language in posts (learn more here ).

"When they brought idea forward, it was unique and really well thought-out," recalled Mortali, who shares CELC teaching responsibilities with Alcosser. "They went on to win a series of awards, including one at the Connecticut State Science and Engineer Fair given by a family that had lost a teacher. The family had designated one award, but when they learned of Sophie and Sue's project, they doubled the award, so that it could be giving specifically to them and to another entry, as they had intended. They just didn't know about Sophie and Sue until that moment."

In many ways, the scenario sums up the success Mortali and Alcosser see in CELC students, coupled with an ongoing effort to broaden awareness of the private school they co-founded in 2009.  Both taught at the former Pine Brook School (formerly known as Wightwood) in Branford until it closed in June 2009. Encouraged by parents of former students, Alcosser, a Guilford resident, and Mortali, a Branford native, decided to start up CELC.

"CELC was founded to make middle school years positive, meaningful, and boundless, rather than oppressive and something to just 'get through,'" said Alcosser. "We are unique to this area, have changed students' lives for the better who've attended our program, yet still many do not know we exist as an option."

Alcosser defines experiential learning as "learning by doing. Reading about something in a book is one way to learn. That, coupled with active engagement, allows the whole person to interact with the subject matter."

"Experiential education has been incorporated at the college level for many years–think of internships, or having a semester abroad," added Mortali. "We've brought a lot of that down to the middle school level, and that's uncommon."

CELC students at the 8th grade level complete internships with local professionals. Last year's internship program sent students interested in graphic design to work with professionals at Mosiac Marketing in Branford.

"We have a student here this year who's interested in fashion, and she'll be working with a fashion designer as part of her internship," said Alcosser.

With its emphasis on experiential learning, CELC is part of the nationwide Coalition of Essential Schools, which includes more than 500 schools underscoring the philosophy of looking at students as the whole person and stressing depth of learning.

CELC also seeks out options in the community to expand student experiences. This fall, the school group is headed back to Long Wharf Theatre for an annual workshop and has also resumed outdoor education classes with Common Ground High School (New Haven). With a mini-grant from the Regional Water Authority, CELC students will be working with an ornithologist, geologist, and water scientist to study the ecosystem of a pond and river system of the Farm River in North Branford.  The group will also travel to other locations, including out of state trips, for learning opportunities.

While taking off into the world helps enhance the student experience, CELC follows a traditional academic curriculum that has served its alumni well in high school and college, said Mortali. Each year, the teachers select a theme that frames the entire academic view for every subject. This year's theme is Ancient to Modern Civilizations.

"There certainly is a well thought-out way of delivering any academic year; it isn't happenstance," said Mortali. "And then, their personal interest can be woven and highlighted in certain ways. So even within things they may not like, they will ask, 'What will I try to bring in to my own learning? What's my level of willingness?' And that permeates and brings them into a different way of approaching everything in their lives. It's transformative."

Mortali said students in their middle school years are "in transition," often while being faced with challenges or even a "ho-hum" middle school experience that could dampen their pursuit of learning.

"Students might be getting A's in a regular public school classroom, but their parents may feel they're not working for it, or just going through the motions, or the kids are not getting enough out of it to stay interested and finding they might hate school. So there's that curiosity dying out," said Mortali.

"Many parents think middle school is a time to get through, and don't look to make an investment in that part of their lives," Alcosser added. "We've literally seen kids turn around, because they've found a new way; and that launches them."

Cade is a thriving CELC fourth year student who has been with the school since 5th grade.

"What I think makes this school right for me is its small environment, so there's not a lot of kids, and we have two teachers, so we have a lot of individualization. Let's say in a class there are some kids that are doing great and they're accelerating, so they're allowed to go ahead, and there are some struggling, but because of the small number of students, and everyone knows each other, the teachers can help out the students who are struggling, so everyone can get to work together."

Students can enter CELC at different ages and stages. The school offers full time student enrollment (the teaching model is designed to be fully enrolled at 13) as well as several optional part-time , with overall student participation topping 25 to 30 students in 2015. Students have hailed from many areas across the shoreline including Branford, Guilford, North Branford, Northford, Milford, Madison, Killingworth, and Deep River.

CELC first-year full time student Gray said she was introduced to the school last year through one of its optional programs, Home School Monday.

"It's a very small environment, and I myself tend to struggle with things like reading and math, so it really helps that I can get the individual attention that I need," she said. "I would like to say that I'm good at writing and art and recess! So I can go at my own pace, and that helps."

Second-year CELC student Julian seconds Gray's opinion.

"I also like the individualized education," he said. "Math is a big thing for me, and another thing I like is the fact that we're not always just sitting at a table the whole day. We're actually going places and doing stuff."

For Sophie, who co-authored BullyCheck and is now in her fourth year with CELC, the school is a place where individuality shines.

"I think every student is so different, and they really let you express who you are," says Sophie. "Last year, Julian got to teach a coding class to everyone and he got to see what that experience was like. So they like to take our strengths and what we do, and put them to work."

CELC's application of effective purposeful academics, integrated with dynamic experiential opportunities, help to strengthen and solidify competence and confidence, said Alcosser.

"In a lot of ways, we're very traditional and we are highly structured," said Alcosser. "We use text books on online resources, we set a curriculum on how to prepare for high school including organizational skills...so in a lot of ways, we follow many methods. But we have the advantage of exploring ways of learning. Learning is appreciated in so many ways, and we're not held to do it in one set way each day."

For more information on CELC visit www.ctexperiential.org. To RSVP to attend the Saturday, Oct. 15 Open House to meet teachers, students, and enjoy art and music activities, contact mandm@CTExperiential.org or call 203-433-4658.