WCPSS Teachers and Students Prepare for the Holidays
November 29, 2010 - As the winter holidays near, families and schools prepare for special time together. Teachers develop creative projects that give students a chance to help others and students share their talents in holiday activities. Here are some of the planned events from educators who have shared their stories with us.
Green Elementary School Students Knit Caps for the Community
Green Elementary School's first graders are creating care packages to be distributed to the homeless and by knitting warm caps for our elderly citizens. Donations have been coming in for non-perishable items to include in the care packages and students have been busy knitting hats. On December 3, students will work cooperatively to package the goods, label them, and prepare them for distribution. Each student will leave school that day with a package to keep in the car and a charge to work with their parents to find a person in need and support them with this package.
Our knitted hats will be given to United Way 211 for distribution at local care homes for the elderly. Green Elementary students and staff are committed to learning and teaching both academics and good citizenship. Together, we help each other remember that all of us, no matter how young or old, should reach out to help our neighbors in need.
For more information, contact principal Lisa Brown at 881-1390. She shared her story with GotNews.
November 23, 2010
Moore Square Students Deliver Coloring Books
A group of Moore Square Magnet Middle students who have been working with Raleigh Police Master Officer G. Witherspoon visited area hospitals on Monday to present gifts of coloring books, crayons, board games, and children’s DVDs to children who are patients. Officer Witherspoon has been working for months with the group of 10 seventh-grade boys. They began in early October to collect coloring books and other items to help hospitalized children. The students designed a flyer to post around their school asking for donations, and even organized a school dance with an admission fee of at least one coloring book. They have collected more than 1,500 coloring books to be distributed at WakeMed, Rex, Duke, and UNC hospitals. The students’ efforts were highlighted in a story on WRAL.
The students have begun a second project collecting children’s books for the Salvation Army to distribute to Wake County families during the holiday season.
School administrators worked with Officer Witherspoon to identify the students who are being called the William Bunn Preparatory School, named after the Raleigh Police Department’s first honorary officer. Under Officer Witherspoon’s leadership the students meet weekly focusing on leadership, college preparation, and community service.
For more information, contact Moore Square Magnet principal David Kershner at 664-5737.
Hunter Collects Gifts
At Hunter Magnet Elementary, they have a tradition of collecting gifts to help some of the school’s families. This year the school has set up a webpage where families agree to contribute gifts. The school will be collecting items Monday, December 13; Tuesday, December 14; and Wednesday, December 15. You can see the webpage online at http://signupgenius.com/go/hunter2
For more information, contact Hunter principal David Newkirk at 856-7676.
Mt. Vernon Cooks Turkey in the Hole
Mt. Vernon Middle School is celebrating a long standing tradition at the school today (Nov. 23). They will be eating turkey at noon. Teachers at the school work with students to prepare their meal. They call their method of cooking the main course Turkey in the Hole. They dig a hole, fill it with hot coals, carefully place the prepared turkeys wrapped in foil and then bury the turkey and coals to cook overnight. The students learn an interesting tradition and the school enjoys a special Thanksgiving meal.
Talk with Mt. Vernon Middle principal Robert Gupton at 233-4313 for more information.
November 17, 2010
Wendell Middle Students Support Military Families
Wendell Middle School has joined with the non-profit organization, Support the US Armed Forces to raise money for the families of the military. From the money raised, students will pack boxes that will go out to military families over Christmas. The school will hold a "packing party" Friday, December 17 from 3-5 p.m. The students are very excited about this and have been bringing in their change to donate daily. The school will hold a dance to help raise money for the event as well. The goal is to raise $4,500. The fundraiser will run from November 12-December 10.
Contact teacher Tiffany Carson for more information at tcarson2@wcpss.net
Davis Drive Middle Students Send Cards to Troops
As a service project the students of Davis Drive Middle School will be writing Christmas cards to 15 individual service members, a Marine Corps Unit, a Marine Corps Platoon, a Marine Corps Company and an Air Force Reservist Unit serving overseas during the holiday season. This is the fifth year that the school has done this project with the entire school and the school has received more names this year than any other year. Almost 300 airmen or marines will receive packages or parts of a package. It is amazing to be able to send holiday greetings to so many who will not be with their family this year. Along with the cards the packages will include holiday candy, small decorations, toiletries, small games, playing cards, etc. A suggested list of items can be found at: http://cards4military.weebly.com/donations-supplies.html. The deadline for receiving items for the packages is Tuesday November 23rd. Thank you to the Davis Drive Student Council for covering the cost of shipping the packages.
Contact teacher Rachel Wilde for more information at rwilde@wcpss.net
Choral Ensembles from Six High Schools Featured at Holiday Event
On Saturday, Dec. 4, choral ensembles from six Wake County high schools will be performing during the Raleigh Moravian Church's annual celebration of Advent known as Candle Tea. During the celebration, church members don 18th century costumes, pick up their band instruments, candle molds, cookie cutters and star patterns and welcome thousands of their neighbors into their annual celebration.
Throughout the afternoon, the high school choirs will provide holiday music in the sanctuary. In the narthex, visitors will enjoy discovering year-to-year changes in the elaborate nativity scene – or putz, to Moravians. Members of the church band play outside as the tea begins and again at 3:30.
This year's performers are:
2:30 p.m. Middle Creek High School Choral Ensemble
3:00 p.m. Enloe Magnet High School Advanced Women’s Ensemble, Enloe Magnet High School Chamber Choir
3:30 p.m. Sanderson High School’s Sandpipers
4:00 p.m. Cary High School Concert Chorus
4:30 p.m. Garner Magnet High School’s Die Meistersingers
5:00 p.m. Leesville Road High School’s Capital Pride
Raleigh Moravian Church has hosted its Candle Tea since 1958. The Candle Tea is free and open to the public. Raleigh Moravian Church is located at 1816 Ridge Road in west Raleigh, between Wade Avenue and Lake Boone Trail. Contact the church at 919-787-4034 for details.
Other WCPSS schools with holiday projects should contact WCPSS Communications using GotNews or email bposton@wcpss.net