Lakeland Elementary School
Submitted by 6th grade teacher, Melissa Goode. She and her students conducted a Thanksgiving food drive for the Montdale Food Pantry, and volunteered at the pantry last week. They will also be working throughout the year with the Industrial Arts classes to build additional shelving for the pantry and a counter to make packing and processing food donations more efficient. They plan to hold another food drive in the spring, as well as a bake sale to build up the food reserves for the Mondale Food Pantry.
Joining her is building principal, Mr. Alan King and students Grace Fawcett, Megan Williams, & Noah Griffin
Weatherly Area Middle School
Submitted by Katie Leach, Gifted Support
Katie and her students will be working to help preserve the holdings of the Weatherly Area Community Library, which had to be moved to a new location last year after the old location experienced some water damage. The students are planning to outfit the new location with some necessary shelving and will then transfer the book holdings that are currently in storage to the library’s new home.
Susquehanna Community Junior- Senior High School “Between the Extremes”
Submitted by Elizabeth Updyke
Elizabeth and her students have identified struggles in their community within the youth and senior populatios. They plan to meet with Pre-K and Kindergarten teachers to identify potential remedies to language defeciepts and learning gaps in young students and host events and activities that incorporate senior citizens into the solution, thus remedying common issues such as loneliness and feelings of lack of purpose. Students will be conducting research through surveys and interviews and will meet on a monthly basis to develop goals and projects.
Joining Elizabeth are six of her students. Mackenzie Tal, Nichole Anthony, Carson Beamer, Jasmine Funk, Madison Towner, Bailey Allen
Millville Area Junior – Senior High School
Submitted by K-12 Gifted teacher, Jestine Myers
Jestine and her students have identified the social heart of their community and will be doing a cleanup and facelift on the Millville Community Park. Students will attend monthly park committee meetings and will present their plan to the board and recruit community volunteers. They will then purchase the necessary cleaning and safety equipment, add recycling bins at the pavilions. Students will also be responsible for collecting the recycled materials at the park and adding them to the recycling program currently in place at the school.
Jestine is joined today by six of her students Emily Hippensteil, Layla Shultz
Cedar Crest Middle School “Cultivating Compassion”
8th grade adviser, Melissa Rode
Melissa, her students and several of her colleagues will be addressing two problems in their school community. The students feel that special needs students are too isolated in homogenous groups in their school and want to conduct an activity that pairs them with regular education students in a safe and compassionate environment. The activity they have designated addresses what the students perceive as a need for brighter, more welcoming aesthetics in the school building. The students will begin working with students in emotional support and life skills classes to build interpersonal relationships and begin fundraising. Later in the year they will work together to design and plant a courtyard garden, maintain existing landscapes and build bird boxes, as well as install indorr plants in various areas of the school building.
Melissa is joined by two of her colleagues who are part of the project, Don Swartz, Elaine Hartmen
Wyoming Area Secondary Center “Green for Vets”
Submitted by 8th grade teacher, Christine Rutledge
Christine and her students have been disappointed by the fleeting recognition of Veteran’s Day and have decided to incorporate the nationally recognized movement “Green Light a Vet” into their school. The students will purchase and display green lights throughout the building, include them in holiday decorations, and paint window displays. They will conduct additional fundraisers to purchase energy efficient green lightbulbs to distribute to the boroughs and townships in their school district to raise awareness of the often difficult transition for returning veterans. Students also plan to add to the awareness campaign in their school and community through fliers, posters, newspaper articles and attendance at all winter sporting events.
Unfortunately, Christine and her students could not make it today but we wish them and all of you best of luck with your projects and we will see you in the spring!
Congratulations!