Fleetwood Area Middle School students and teachers volunteered to give back to the community on their day off from school in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 15.
“Today is about giving back to our community,” said Fleetwood Area Middle School Principal Gangi Cucciuffo. “Having our students and teachers come together to really focus on that there is more out there than just us. Just giving back in certain ways that we can. Coming together as a community for Fleetwood.”
Cucciuffo estimated this was the seventh year the middle school hosted its Annual MLK Day of Service. Teachers and students come in on MLK Day and participate in different events in the school and in the community that are service related.
“It’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day and he was very big on service to your community and service to others. As they’re doing all across the nation, we thought it was a great way to give back,” said Cucciuffo. “Our students are learning that it is very important to give back to their community and be part of something bigger than themselves. There’s a lot of excitement about coming in and helping out.”
Students had a choice of a morning or afternoon session to volunteer in Presents for Paws, Cookies for a Cause, Crafts for Nursing Homes (Ornaments), ‘Can’structure food collection for local food bank, Troop Care Packages, play board games and make blankets with residents at Keystone Villa at Fleetwood, volunteering at Hope Rescue, and playing games with senior citizens at St. Paul’s Church.
About 65 to 75 teachers were involved in the Day of Service while about 130 students volunteered to come in on their day off.
“It says a lot about our school. We have fantastic kids and fantastic teachers. It does say a lot about who they are, that they know that there is something bigger than them and they are part of something big, not just across Berks County but across the state and the nation, too,” said Cucciuffo. “This has been a serious buzz for a lot of our kids. There were really excited about this day.”
Jared Bitting, technology engineering teacher, worked with students and teachers at ‘Can’structure creating a structure out of 1,900 canned food items that were collected by students to be donated to the Greater Berks Food Bank. This year’s ‘Can’structure were three over-sized toy building blocks that says “We Care” on the sides of the wooden blocks. For the foundation of the structure they built wooden frames and stacked the cans around it.
“I like that students get to see the engineering behind it and the problem solving,” said Bitting.
He hopes they learned the cooperation it takes to get the job done and to be willing to help, to volunteer their time and show they care.
At Presents for Paws, Art teacher Lisa Rowlands said volunteers created home-made toys for cats and dogs, using yarn and fleece strips, respectively. The toys will be donated to the Animal Rescue League of Berks County and Humane Society of Berks County.
“It provides them with some toys to give to people when they’re adopting a pet so they don’t have to run out and spend a lot of money,” said Rowlands. “The toys stimulate and keep the animals happy.”
Rowlands emphasized that participation in the MLK Day events was on a volunteer basis.
“Students are here on their day off to do this activity or one of the many others,” she said, hoping they learn that “animals give back to us and we should give to them, too. They are important on this day also.”
At the Troop Care Packages station volunteers put together Valentine’s Day care packages, with candy and messages, to donated to Adopt a Platoon and will be given to troops serving abroad.
“I hope these cheer up the troops and let’s them know we’re all thinking about them,” said ELA electives teacher Susan Langston. “Everybody’s here supporting them. The students are writing, thanking them for their service and uplifting messages, letting them know we’re thinking about them.”
Langston estimated about 250 to 300 packages were made.
“I think the troops are very helpful for us so I wanted to help and give back,” said fifth grader Emily Miller.
Eighth grader Sarah Reitnauer said the care packages are really nice to offer to the troops.
“I think they will help let them know that we know what they’re sacrificing for our country so I really like them, to give something back to the troops,” said Reitnauer. “It let’s them know that we care about them.”
Eighth grader Veda Hartman, sixth grader Emma Dietrich and fifth grader Naomi Villasenor baked pizzelle cookies together at Cookies for a Cause for residents at Keystone Villa at Fleetwood.
“I just like to help out and give to people. I think that’s part of MLK Day,” said Hartman.
“My favorite part is working with other people and making stuff you usually don’t make and giving it to Keystone Villa,” said Dietrich.
“When I’m older I do want to be a baker so that’s why I chose this one because I knew it would involve baking and instead of just staying at home watching TV I decided to come in and help out,” said Dietrich.
Fifth grade science and social studies teacher Alyssa Carl worked with students at the Cookies for a Cause. Students baked home-made cookies for residents at Keystone Villa at Fleetwood.
“There’s hundreds of cookies! We have a lot. Four huge trays,” said Carl. “It’s giving back to our community. Students and staff see how meaningful it is to give back to the community and others in need.”
Carol hopes the Keystone residents enjoy the cookies and know that Fleetwood Middle School students care.
“Students do want to do things for other people. It shows that we’re not just a community of adults, we’re a community of kids who want to help out, too,” said Cucciuffo.
