Last night, I attended the South Kingstown Partnership for Prevention’s (SKPP) Outstanding Youth Award event, which celebrated the community service efforts of South Kingstown students. As I was leaving, I congratulated Eileen Stone, one of the directors of SKPP, on the success of the event and she said to me, “I want to see more events like this. There is plenty to celebrate!” I would agree.
This coming Thursday, an event similar in spirit will take place at SKHS. The brainchild of a few inspired faculty members, the entire school will be utilizing Thursday, May 28th (weather permitting) for an entirely different learning experience, spending the majority of the day cleaning the school and the surrounding neighborhood. Students and staff, organized by advisory, will have specific areas to attack. For instance, my advisory is in charge of the center stairwell, the front parking lot, and re-painting the courtyard benches (partnering with a few other advisories). For a detailed version of the scope of the endeavor, you can click on http://www.honorsir.net/HIR/THE_CLEAN_TEAM/THE_CLEAN_TEAM.html
There are inherent risks to such a noble idea: some students may see this as a “free day” where they don’t have to come to school. Others may come for a few hours and then leave. Some may not take the work seriously. But I think the rewards are worth the risk. Over the past four years, I think we’ve seen a change in students’ attitudes about their learning and about SKHS as an institution. There is quantitative (the reduced number of physical altercations) and qualitative (students picking up after themselves in the cafeteria) data to support this. I often hear from faculty members about a time when SKHS was considered the top high school in the state and there was tremendous pride within the student body. I think Thursday will serve as a litmus test regarding the pride that students take in our school and their level of maturity.
I have told the faculty to take this day as seriously as they would any other day; we will be communicating that message to students as well. I hope that parents, who will hear more about the day via phone calls and the listserv, will do the same. This event has the potential to be an incredibly positive event that drives home the message that community is not something we just talk about but something we actively value. What better lesson is there we can teach?
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I'd like to take a moment to thank you and the "inspired faculty members" that put this day together. As a lifelong South County resident, and alumni of the South Kingstown school system, the pride I felt today while dropping my Freshman off @ SKHS was overwhelming.
ReplyDeleteOn our way to school, I made a last minute decision to head over to Tim Horton's to grab a bunch of iced coffees for my daughter and her friends. While there...the place was HOPPING!!
Waiting for the coffee, I ordered a 40 pack of TimBits. Upon hearing my order the manager came over, frazzled and quite obviously overwhelmed with orders. She said: "OK...this is the 6th order of TimBits in the past 10 minutes...what's going on out there?" I laughed at the thought that I obviously wasn't the only parent who decided to load the students up with coffee and sugar to get them motivated to clean.
After explaining to the manager what was happening @ the high school...an amazing thing happened. Every worker there suddenly lost the "overwhelmed" look and it was replaced with expressions of pure joy and pride. It actually took me aback. What a jolt both for me and for my Freshman...who also suddenly perked up and expressed how excited she was to participate in this Extreme Makeover Day.
So KUDOS to you Mr. McCarthy, to your Faculty and mostly to our students! Not only have you inspired some true Rebels pride and ownership to the school itself...but know that it spilled over directly to the town...and for at least this morning...spurred a bit of economic stimulation to the local coffee shop community!!