GIS Collects School Supplies for Texas Students Impacted by Hurricane

A group of sixth graders at GIS might define project based learning as so engaging that they give up lunch and recess to get their work done. At least that’s how it worked in Ashley Dugan’s classroom when they were watching a video about the impact of Hurricane Harvey on Texas.

“The students’ reaction was to ask what they could do to help,” Ashley said. Online research was the first step. The students made contact with Mr. Smith in a district outside Houston that was about to add 1,000 displaced students. He told the group what supplies were needed, and they decided to continue their project with a drive to collect the items.

Although several sixth graders offered ideas, the main group working on this project included Ellie Foster, Kate Miller, Cassidy Predieri, Rachel Curtis, Alex Start, Ally Mesner, Ella Persiani, Ian Lancaster, Audrey Stankunas, Bella Rockwell, Ally Ernsberger and Abby Bergstrom. They went to GIS Principal Gayle Burris with their idea.

“We knew she might say no and we would fail, but if we succeeded, just think what we could do to help!” they said. Mrs. Burris said yes, and they went to work creating a flyer to post around school, making an announcement and sharing the details with teachers to include in their newsletters.

“I simply provided a place – they did all the work,” Ashley said. The project was a huge success with 530 pounds of supplies collected!

Granville Schools student organizations combined efforts to support relief for victims of the recent hurricanes in the U.S. and Puerto Rico with a t-shirt sale. Interact Club students sold shirts at the high school, and total sales at all schools of nearly 250 shirts will raise $1,150! There will also be a district-wide hat day on Oct. 5 and all donations will go to hurricane relief.

← BACK
Print This Article
View text-based website