by Cori Hilsgen
news@thenewsleaders.com
Once again, students at Kennedy Community School are busy helping people in need in the area.
Seventh- and eighth-grade students who are part of “WE Act” have been collecting toys for the local Toys for Tots drive.
They started collecting toys Nov. 13 and will stop Dec. 8. That will ensure items can be picked up, delivered and wrapped for children who will receive them for the Christmas holiday.
Co-advisors for the drive are Mike Stuber and Kelli Maurer. Stuber teaches social studies and Maurer teaches language arts at Kennedy.
“It has been inspiring to see how young students have been so excited to help others,” Stuber said.
“We asked the students if they could give something of themselves in order to get something for someone else,” Mauer said. “What we all came up with is that for every five toys people donated toward their cause, they would give up their electronic device for a 24-hour period. Many students have already done this and it is proving to be an eye-opening experience for the students.”
Stuber said WE Act is an organization that believes adolescents are capable of changing the world.
The group works on social-justice issues in the area and around the world. Students involved with WE Act participate in local and global actions to benefit issues youth care about.
Thirty-four Kennedy students are WE Act leaders.
Kennedy WE Act also recently participated in a “We Scare Hunger” event where students went trick-or-treating to collect food for the St. Joseph Community Food Shelf.
“Kennedy Community School is fortunate to belong to such a giving and generous community,” said Laurie Putnam, Kennedy principal. “During this holiday season, our students and staff give back in as many ways as we can. We collect food for the Salvation Army and toys and games for Toys for Tots. Through a day when students pay $1 to wear a hat, we also raised almost $400 for Anna Marie’s Shelter. I’m proud of our students for recognizing others in need and pitching in to make others’ holidays nicer.”
