Elementary and middle school students are not too young to give back to their communities. It is important to engage in service learning opportunities in order to build their sense of community and citizenship and to know that there is always some way that they can help to make the world a better place. I have always used service projects in my classroom and have found that students usually find participation quite rewarding. Although service projects may vary from year to year, I do plan to have students particiapte in some I have used in the past. They will also be encouraged to come up with their own ideas of how to help out and give back within their school community, the larger community, the country, and maybe even the world!
Here are some projects I have experience with and plan to have students participate in again this year:
August 2022
TAG is sponsoring the Trex Recycling Challenge again this year! Send in any plastic film you have for recycling and to help our school towards our goals! Recycled plastic film is made into "wood" decking . Last year our school finished in 3rd place for our region of the country and recieved a wind chime made from a Trex post cap as our prize. PReviously we recieved a Trex planter box that we have in our classroom as well. TAG students in 3rd through 5th grades are responsible for maintaining our recycling bins and weighing and tracking the plastic we collect. 7th and 8th grade students are responsible for promoting the collection through posters, flyers, and distribution of Trex recycling magnets. Drop off bins are located in the front office at Main, the gym at West, and the TAG classroom (Room 2) at Main.
September 2021
October is National Dog Adoption Month for the Humane Society!
In preparation for that, our class will be making dog toys to donate to the Yavapai Humane Society.
Want to help out more? We will have a box in our classroom to collect any YHS wishlist items the people would like to donate as well.
If you would like to donate old t-shirts or new tennis balls for the project, it will help us make even more toys!
October 2022
November is national literacy month. In perperation for this we will be collecting new and gently used books for restocking the Little Free Library that some of our 8th graders built during the 2021-22 school year. They worked hard to build and install a Little Free Library so that students and members of the community around our school have convenient access to books throughout the year.
November 2022
Our students will write letters to deployed soldiers that will be sent to them through Operation Gratitude.
Writing letters to deployed members of the service not only provides encouagement to our troops,
but also helps our students reflect upon the freedoms that they enjoy and appreciate those past and present
who have made that possible.
December 2022
This month we will brighten the lives of shut in people in our own community.
We will be partnering with Prescott Meals on Wheels and will be making holiday placemats that will be delivered with meals.
January 2023
Our students will be making Cards for Hospitalized Kids.
These cards (general or holiday themed) will be delivered to children who are currently hospitalized to bring brighness to their day.
Childen who are hospitalized son't have the social opportunities of other children and often don't have the opportunity to exchange holiday cards,
or celebrate with other children. Cards can really make their day!
February 2023
Inspiring others to make healthy choices by promoting the MATFORCE message of "Stand with Me, Be Drug Free." Our posters will be sent in to be part of the MATFORCE poster contest. In 2019 the K-6 contest winner was an Acorn Student! Maybe one of our posters will win!
March 2023
Students will be challenged to come up with their own service project ideas and make connections between their project and economics. The 3 most outstanding projects will be submitted to the Beyond the Classroom competition sponsored by the Arizona Council on Economic Education.
April 2023
Earth Day Community Clean Up
We will be coming up with ideas on how to help the Earth throughout our community this month.
Possible activities include trash cleanup at Mountain Valley Park, visiting a local lake and removing crayfish (invasive species) etc.
May 2023
Kindness Rocks! And so do we!
We will be kicking off the idea of a summer of service by making kindness stones to spead positive thoughts and kindness throughout our commuity
by participaing in the The Kindness Rocks Project.
Once we make the rocks together students will be responsible for placing them around the community in order to spread kindness. With the help fo a parent they can even track kindness stones via the Prescott Valley Rocks Facebook page.
