A Season of Gratitude, A Season of Giving: AISD Students and Staff Pay It Forward With Community Projects
The District worked with organizations to create opportunities for everyone to do good for others.
Plummer Middle School staff members and friends worked on several Habitat for Humanity projects. They stand in front of one homes they helped build. Volunteers named one “The House That Plummer Built.”
[dropcap color=”#888″ type=”square”]O[/dropcap]ne of the most important lessons children learn is that they can make a difference in the lives of others. Aldine students and staff are among the millions taking part in Make a Difference Day 2016.
Children develop empathy and kindness by watching adults. That means leading by example.
Plummer Middle School staff members and friends worked on several Habitat for Humanity projects. They are standing in front of “The House That Plummer Built.”
USA Today and Points of Light have joined together to sponsor Make a Difference Day. The event started in 1992 when Leap Day fell on a Saturday. USA WEEKEND asked its readers to spend their extra day doing something good for someone else. The response was overwhelming and has since expanded. The event falls on the fourth Saturday in October each year.
Aldine ISD has taken part in the event for more than two decades. The national holiday of community service connects people with opportunities to serve. Make A Difference Day also strengthens communities and promotes civic engagement.
This year, Make a Difference Day was Oct. 22. Due to schedules, AISD campuses have been working on projects since September. Some campus projects are taking place in November.
A Few Examples of AISD District and Campus Projects
Volunteers at Conley Elementary build Kaboom! playground.
[ul class=”list list-search”] [li]AISD Administration: The departments at the Donaldson Administration Building collected nonperishable food items for Mission Greenspoint. The staff delivered 13 boxes to the nonprofit for Make a Difference Day. A second project collected items for Thanksgiving meals. Mission Greenspoint will provide the holiday meals to families.[/li] [li]Eckert Intermediate School: The campus held two different projects. Students and staff organized Breast Cancer Awareness activities such as a penny drive and a Walk for the Cure event. Students, parents and staff also took part in St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital’s Pennies for Patients and Families drive. They raised nearly $1,000 toward childhood cancer research funding. [/li][/ul][ul class=”list list-search”] [li]Eisenhower HS, Carver HS & Nimitz HS: The Eisenhower HS baseball team, the Carver HS theater students, and The Man Up Club from Nimitz HS all took part in helping build a new Kaboom! playground at Conley Elementary School. [/li] [li]Plummer MS: The campus worked with Habitat for Humanity to build housing for families in need in the Fairfax Village subdivision in northwest Houston. Plummer MS also raised $1,650 and created gift baskets for families.[/li][/ul][ul class=”list list-search”] [li]Raymond Academy: The campus took part in a Pasta for Pennies fund drive for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). Students that donated received a paper penny with their name written on it. The paper penny was hung on a wall for all to see. Individual students that donated $20 or more got a mention during morning announcements. The class with the highest donation received a pasta party from Olive Garden courtesy of LLS.[/li] [li]Spence ES: Third and fourth grade members of Student Council organized a canned food drive. Faculty and staff along with 683 campus students collected 700 canned goods. The campus donated the items to Mission Greenspoint. [/li][/ul]
Study shows tweens increase their happiness through acts of kindness. For children, these acts nurture their well-being and increase their positive connections with peers.
Spence Elementary School collected canned goods for Mission Greenspoint.
A research study, Kindness Counts, from the University of British Columbia and the University of California-Riverside, showed the benefits of acts of kindness. In the study, tweens who visited a nice place saw an increase in their happiness quotient. But those who performed acts of kindness received an extra boost. The study showed the latter group gained friends.
Other similar studies also support that acts of kindness toward others benefits the giver. Dr. Marilyn Price-Mitchell sees many benefits for children who learn to be caring and kind. According to her, these children also benefit developmentally. Price-Mitchell is a developmental psychologist and author. She is also the founder of Roots of Action.
Raymond Academy Students
“Well–liked children display more positive, less bullying behaviors,” said Price-Mitchell. “Happier kids are more likely to show higher academic achievement. Being kind makes you feel good about yourself and improves your outlook on life.”
Stacey Smith has been coordinating with campuses on Make a Difference Day events. She is program director of resource development.
Kindergartener at Raymond Academy makes a difference with his contribution.
“It‘s important to give students opportunities to give back to the community,” said Smith. “As an educator, it is wonderful to help a child help others. We are helping to create a better world.
“In AISD, developing students who are responsible and productive citizens is part of our mission statement. We want them to become compassionate, responsible people in our schools and communities.”
Kudos to everyone making a difference in others’ lives!
About the Author: Leticia Fehling
