Seventh-grade honors language arts students at Owensboro Middle School North recently read the novel Pay It Forward. Students are now in the process of “paying it forward” in real life by completing community service/kindness projects.
“After we finished reading and discussing the novel, students completed a survey about causes or issues that are important to them. Then, we brainstormed service project ideas that would help benefit their chosen cause,” said Amy Bellamy, OMS teacher.
Projects so far have included collecting items for the humane society, volunteering at the animal shelter, a recycling project, collecting hygiene items for a homeless shelter, organizing a school-wide art contest with a kindness and equality theme, helping students with disabilities in a special needs classroom, organizing a “jeans week” for teachers and using the funds raised to help endangered animals. On March 23, 2017, three of the students hosted a game night for residents at the Roosevelt House as part of their service project.
“It has been really amazing so far to see what these kids can accomplish! When they are finished with their projects, students are creating presentations and writing personal narratives about what they have learned from the experience,” added Bellamy.
If you would like to hear about these experiences for yourself, the students will share information about their projects at a “Pay It Forward Night” on April 18 at 6:30 p.m. in the OMS North project room. The students are hoping to have some community members whose organizations have benefitted from the projects in attendance that night.
