School Name: Huntingburg Elementary School
Senior Wellness Park
Briefly describe your project:
The students researched senior health and wellness issues and park equipment designed to improve the physical cognitive and social performance of everyday life activities. Student ‘architects’ design Senior Wellness Park options to meet the specifications.
How does your project meet a community need? We’ve partnered with the Mayor Park Director and Senior Citizen panel to assure the project meets the wellness needs of seniors with abilities ranging from therapeutic to challenging. They are thoughtfully including shade hydration security hobby and resting areas into their presentations.
How does your project integrate into and enhance your curriculum?
These young playground experts are completing a STREAM problem-based project. They’re working in collaborative teams to research present design and launch the idea of a Senior Wellness Park to serve the needs of the 65+ population in their community.
If awarded, explain how the funds will be used to improve your service-learning project.
During a field trip led by the Park Director the students learned of the financial concerns related to bringing a launched idea to fruition. They dream about the ribbon cutting and sharing the park experience with their grandparents so they hope the funds will go towards the building of the park.
School Name: Hebron High School
The Empty Bowls Project
Briefly describe your project:
Guests are served a meal in a handmade bowl in exchange for a cash donation to fight hunger. When the guests take their bowls home it should act as a reminder that someone’s bowl is always empty and that they may choose to help alleviate hunger again at any time.
How does your project meet a community need?
The money raised from our project goes to our local food pantry. All donations received from the Empty Bowls dinner and silent auction have benefited the pantry for the past nine years bringing the total donated to almost $30,000. Our food pantry currently serves 148 households and 495 individuals.
How does your project integrate into and enhance your curriculum?
The Empty Bowls Project integrates into our art curriculum during our ceramics unit. All art students create hand-built bowls using fundamental processes of hand-building with clay including the firing and glazing processes. The project meets our state and national standards of art.
If awarded, explain how the funds will be used to improve your service-learning project.
If awarded our service-learning project will be enhanced through the purchase of additional supplies for clay hand-building and supplemental materials used in our curriculum.
School Name: Adair County R-II Schools
Hats Off: Recognizing Community Veterans
Briefly describe your project:
The Brashear High School Public Speaking class plans and presents an annual Veterans Day Assembly that includes our student body our families and our community. This is an opportunity for my class to apply their skills to a real world event that is an asset to both our school and our community.
How does your project meet a community need?
It is vitally important for our youth to learn and to demonstrate respect for our country and our nation’s veterans. Veterans need to feel respected and know that their service is valued.
How does your project integrate into and enhance your curriculum?
My students purpose to show honor in a creative and unique way. Optimal learning occurs with real life applications. This project encourages students to develop interpersonal presentation and speaking skills and then provides the opportunity to apply the skills. Students form committees to make decisions. Students write speeches and script for the program.
If awarded, explain how the funds will be used to improve your service-learning project.
We have lots of big dreams for how we can continue to improve our project! Currently the teacher and students fund the project which varies each year. If awarded the funds we would like to purchase video equipment so that we can interview veterans and record their stories.