{"id":13013,"date":"2024-12-19T13:38:57","date_gmt":"2024-12-19T18:38:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/?p=13013"},"modified":"2024-12-19T13:38:57","modified_gmt":"2024-12-19T18:38:57","slug":"students-and-future-teachers-observe-day-of-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/students-and-future-teachers-observe-day-of-service\/","title":{"rendered":"Students and future teachers observe Day of Service"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
CHKD will receive holiday gift bags for patients thanks to Cox High School and John B. Dey, Linkhorn Park and Trantwood elementary schools. Cox VTfT students organized the Dec. 13 community service event.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By Cindy Butler Focke<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The Day of Service event organized by Cox High VTfT students helped the homeless for PiN Ministry. The high school students and fifth graders made sleeping mats out of plastic bags. Trantwood fifth grader Zoe Harkins\u2019 group filled about 100 lunch bags and wrote kind messages on each.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Cox High School Virginia Teachers for Tomorrow(VTfT) students and almost 300 fifth graders filled the Great Neck Recreation Center with good deeds Dec.13.<\/p>\n

They helped more than a dozen community service organizations during the Day of Service.<\/p>\n

VTfT teacher Jennifer Nardelli said integrating service activities into the curriculum enriches the learning experience for students of all ages and fosters essential skills and values crucial for academic and personal development.<\/p>\n

\u201cStudents apply theoretical knowledge to real-world situations and gain practical experience in planning and communication while mentoring younger peers,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s event was expanded from one to three elementary schools. John B. Dey, Trantwood and Linkhorn Park students were placed in groups based on interest.<\/p>\n

VTfT students selected the organizations to help with support from the Youth Volunteer Corps of Hampton Roads.<\/p>\n

The high school leaders started the day by hosting icebreakers for the fifth graders, and organization representatives spoke about their missions.<\/p>\n

Cox senior Alyssa Crisanti\u2019s group made \u201cbirthday bags\u201d for Tidewater Friends of Foster Care (TFFC).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
VTfT Cox High students led fifth graders from John B. Day, Linkhorn Park and Trantwood elementary schools during the Day of Service. One group stuffed \u201cbirthday bags\u201d to help Tidewater Friends of Foster Care.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Foster care children don\u2019t always get to have a traditional birthday celebration, she told the fifth graders.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will make a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

They formed an assembly line and filled 100 bags with cake mix, frosting, plates, streamers, balloons, candles and more.<\/p>\n

TFFC program coordinator Emma Kolar explained the nonprofit organization\u2019s purpose of enriching the lives of as many local foster children as possible.<\/p>\n

The students\u2019 efforts will provide some joy to children who might not get a traditional celebration on their birthdays, she said.<\/p>\n

Linkhorn Park fifth grader Ava Dzupinka said she was happy to help fill the bags for children in foster care.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think they would be sad to not be in their home, but happy to celebrate,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Nearby, students focused on helping the homeless through PiN Ministry. \u00a0Some weaved sleeping mats out of plastic bags and others made 100 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to pack in brown paper lunch bags.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The Day of Service event organized by Cox High VTfT students helped the homeless for PiN Ministry. The high school students and fifth graders made sleeping mats out of plastic bags. Trantwood fifth grader Zoe Harkins\u2019 group filled about 100 lunch bags and wrote kind messages on each.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Zoe Harkins wrote kind messages on some of the bags. The Trantwood fifth grader said it\u2019s important to be a good citizen.<\/p>\n

\u201cTreat others like you\u2019d want to be treated,\u201d she said. \u201cThat\u2019s the golden rule.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ten \u201cno-sew\u201d fleece blankets were created for Samaritan House, 30 holiday bags filled for Children\u2019s Hospital of The King\u2019s Daughters patients, three boxes of toys made for Virginia Beach SPCA animals, and lots more.<\/p>\n

Student volunteer cooks made shepherd\u2019s pie for the Lasagna Love project in the center\u2019s kitchen. The meals will help Edmarc spread kindness to pediatric hospice patients.<\/p>\n

Down the hall, students helped senior citizens create festive holiday arrangements and the Cox High National Art Honor Society painted tiles to be displayed at St. Mary\u2019s Home for children.<\/p>\n

Outside, five benches were built to be donated and another group helped Lynnhaven River NOW collect trash at the nearby park and outside Cox High School.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Trantwood fifth grader Dylan Stepp helped senior citizens make holiday arrangements during the Day of Service at Great Neck Recreation Center. From left, Doris Lawrence, Naseen Alsaadi and Dylan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

VBCPS Superintendent Dr. Donald E. Robertson Jr., School Board Chair Kimberly Melnyk and Cox principal Dr. Michael Kelly watched the worker-bees in action.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m astonished at how much good is being done,\u201d Robertson said. The project engaged students with an unforgettable learning experience, he said.<\/p>\n

Trantwood fifth grade teacher Hannah Phelps said students were provided the unique opportunity to collaborate with high school students and learn the importance of giving back.<\/p>\n

Katie Howard, a Linkhorn Park fifth grade teacher, said her students were excited to help others.<\/p>\n

The day was awesome, she said. \u201cIt\u2019s a great way for them to make an impact on our city.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\u201cNo sew\u201d fleece blankets were made for Samaritan House during the Day of Service at Great Neck Recreation Center organized by Cox High VTfT students.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Students cooked shepherd\u2019s pie for the Lasagna Love project. The meals went to Edmarc for families of pediatric hospice patients.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Day of Service participants made toys and treats for the animals at the Virginia Beach SPCA, including hay bags for bunnies.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Cindy Butler Focke Cox High School Virginia Teachers for Tomorrow(VTfT) students and almost 300 fifth graders filled the Great Neck Recreation Center with good deeds Dec.13. They helped more […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":13021,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13013","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13013","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13013"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13013\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13030,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13013\/revisions\/13030"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13021"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13013"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13013"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13013"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}