Here’s how students in the Mentor School System are making a difference

By Mimi Vanderhaven

In this season of giving, the students, teachers and administrators within the Mentor School System are quite creative when it comes to sharing their gifts with different segments of the community.

In the middle school, through a national program adopted within Mentor schools, called Rachel’s Challenge, students are encouraged to start a chain reaction of compassion toward others.

Overseen by Marianne Focarett, Kim Petro and Chris Miller, the charitable group of students kicked off the school year in September by raising funds and holding food drives to aid victims of the hurricanes.

“We also donated gift items that demonstrate peace, love and caring, such as wall plaques or photo frames, to bring to residents at senior facilities like Parker Place and Brookdale,” says Marianne. “The students spent time engaged with the seniors in games and crafts.”

And while visiting the facilities this month, the talented Shoreline Singers entertained the residents with their gift of song.

Rachel’s Challenge also addresses outreach activities to recognize the hard-working staff of Mentor schools. For instance, meeting the bus drivers with a beverage and cookie as they came to work.

Wherever in the community someone is in need, whether it’s veterans or sick children at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, the students or teachers find out about it and organize an effort to reach out. Everyone is engaged in the process.

On a local level, another group of middle school students volunteered time to the Country Lights event at the Lake Metroparks Farmpark in Kirtland this month.

Festively dressed as elves, they lent a hand to Santa’s Workshop, handing out toys, helping with model trains, loading wagons and greeting visitors.

At the high school level, the myriad of organizations plays to its strengths when it comes to helping out in the community.

For instance, the Future Leaders Club runs a quarterly program in which they go to the Senior Center and work in small groups to help seniors master their technology.

“Seniors sign up and bring in their phones or tablets,” says Kellee Skouby, who facilitates the program.

“Our students help them with specific tech issues, such as synching their devices, installing an app, changing their ringtone or adding a photo to a text message.”

Another seasonal effort led by the high school students is the Adopt-A-Child program. Students arrange for gifts for 40 needy children in a local apartment building. Then they collect the gifts, stay after school to wrap them and deliver them just in time for the holidays.

Look for these monthly stories to cover topics at every level of the schools throughout the school year. The Mentor School system educates 7,660 students from pre-K to 12th grade in eight elementary schools, three middle schools, one high school and one school for students with autism. This column is warmly sponsored by Edward Jones. For updates, visit MentorSchools.net.