Spirit Lake High School Principal Steve Ratzlaff and Academic Dean Kari Webb spoke to Rotary on Wednesday, November 9 about a new initiative in the high school this year – January LIVE. January LIVE is a project based learning program that will span 15 days in January 2012 between first and second semesters. This academic adventure will promote critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity between students, faculty and the community. Project based learning has seven essential elements to it: publicly presented project, driving question or challenge, a need to know, inquiry and innovation, 21st century skills, student voice and choice, and feedback and revision. In addition to the January courses such as welding, song composing and leadership, sixty seniors will use their January LIVE time to intern at area businesses.