Students Raise Money to Send Care Packages
By Ann Marie Bush Capital-Journal
Seventh- and eighth-graders in Washburn Rural Middle School’s community service group are giving back to the community through a variety of programs.
In the fall, students involved in the gifted program collected books to send to victims of Hurricane Katrina. Near Christmas, students visited an area nursing home.
“We’ve had several different projects,” said Alice Bertels, a gifted facilitator at the middle school. “This is just one of the many activities that we offer as an extension of the regular curriculum.”
In the fall, students decided to honor two Kansas soldiers serving in Iraq. Participants had a bake sale and raised more than $200. With the money, several items were purchased to send in care packages to the soldiers, who returned to Kansas in October.
Bertels recently learned of two soldiers from Topeka who are serving in Iraq — Brent Whitten, a 2004 Washburn Rural High School graduate, and Liz Pekrul, a Seaman High School graduate.
Students decided to send care packages to the two.
“They’re doing something for us,” said seventh-grader Alex Hall.
On Jan. 24, Bertels shipped two packages containing a variety of items, including candy, lotion, magazines, Kleenex, crossword puzzles and stationery. Students also included stuffed animals and balls for the soldiers to give to Iraqi children. The group hopes the packages will reach the soldiers in time for Valentine’s Day.
Whitten’s mother, Tiwana Whitten, said her son, who serves in the Army, was shipped to Iraq in mid-December. The 20-year-old joined the military after graduating from Washburn Rural High School, his mother said.
Donna Sanders, a Washburn Rural Middle School gifted facilitator, remembers when Brent Whitten attended the middle school.
“He always wanted to be a soldier,” Sanders said.
Tiwana Whitten said her son would enjoy the packages.
“Brent is a man of few words,” she said. “In his heart, he will be very appreciative. He will probably get a kick out of the letters.”
Whitten’s wife, Rachel, will write a column to be published monthly in The Topeka Capital-Journal, beginning Tuesday.
To raise more money so they can continue to send packages, the middle school students are hand-crafting Hershey’s Kisses roses, which other students can purchase for $1. The project is tedious and time-consuming, students said, but worth the effort.
“It’s nice just to help someone out,” said Kayla DuBois, a WRMS seventh-grader.
Auburn-Washburn USD 437
The Auburn-Washburn USD 437 board of education tonight will consider approving a program aimed at easing the transition from middle school to high school for students who struggle during those years. The Road to Education Achievement program, or REACH, would affect 50 to 60 freshmen annually, aiding them with small classes and a team approach.
Board members also will receive an update about construction along Wanamaker Road and its effects on transportation to district schools.
The board meets at 6:30 tonight at the Shuler Education Center, 5928 S.W. 53rd St. The public may meet with superintendent Brenda Dietrich from 6 to 6:30 p.m.
Silver Lake USD 372
Silver Lake USD 372 school board members will discuss the possible effects of a school funding report released last month by the Legislative Division of Post Audit when they meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the music room of Silver Lake Elementary School, 200 Rice Road. Also, board members will talk about long-range planning, next school year’s calendar and principal contracts.
Shawnee Heights USD 450
USD 450 school board members will meet at 7 tonight at Shawnee Heights Middle School, 4335 S.E. Shawnee Heights Road. Board members are to accept a bid for work on the ninth- and 10th-grade high school building — work that is funded by a 2004 bond issue. Board members also are to approve a calendar for next school year and discuss enrollment at Tecumseh South Elementary.
School board members last week sold the remaining bonds being used to finance projects outlined in the $25.8 million bond issue voters approved in 2004. During a special meeting on Thursday, board members agreed to sell about $12.3 million in bonds — the only remaining portion still unsold — at an average interest rate of nearly 4.3 percent to Merrill Lynch, said Shirley Martin, assistant to the superintendent for business.
The bonds are financing work at schools throughout the district. Perhaps most noticeable is work now under way to connect the two high school buildings. All projects are expected to be completed by the end of 2007.
Tecumseh South Elementary School’s site council and PTO will meet at 6 and 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Tecumseh North Elementary School will have its sixth-grade D.A.R.E. graduation ceremony at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the school’s gymnasium.
Shawnee Heights Middle School will have a band concert at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Shawnee Heights Middle School’s PTO meeting will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
Berryton Elementary School first- and second-grade vocal program will be at 7 p.m. Thursday.
Shawnee Heights Elementary students are participating in several programs to promote reading this week. Students will read at home, participate in Olympic trivia contests, complete sustained silent reading and read to earn free books for their homes and classrooms through the Reach for the Stars program.
Shawnee Heights Elementary School’s PTO will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Christ the King
School
State Treasurer Lynn Jenkins will speak to more than 50 fourth- grade students at Christ the King School at 8:15 a.m. today about the importance of saving money. She and representatives from Kansas Super Chief Credit Union will kick off the Save@School program, which introduces students to the concepts of money management by having participating students open savings accounts and make deposits on scheduled days at their schools.
TOPEKA LUTHERAN
Evan Steere, a fourth-grader at Topeka Lutheran School, won the first- through fourth-grade spelling bee when he correctly spelled “labor.” The runner-up was Emmalie Myers, a fourth-grader. Connor Myers, a seventh-grader, placed first in the fifth- through eighth- grade bee when he correctly spelled “flourishes.” The runner-up was Rachel LaCrone, an eighth-grader.
Topeka Lutheran School students have designated their January and February chapel offerings to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina, especially those in Slidell, La.
USD 501
School board members will meet for a workshop at 8 a.m. Saturday at the Burnett Administrative Center, 624 S.W. 24th St. Talks are to include a discussion of the implications of overcrowding and underuse of district schools, early childhood education and the budget for next school year.
USD 501 board of education members signed a $31,506 maintenance contract with Sprint at their meeting Thursday night. The contract is part of a five-year effort to replace the district’s phone system with a system that puts phone lines in all classrooms. Bill Bridges, general director of information technology, said that in the upcoming fourth year of the program, 240 phone lines will be added in eight elementary schools.
Board members also accepted a donation of 50 children’s bicycle helmets, valued at $375, from the district’s Campus Police Department, which received the helmets through a grant. The department is sponsoring a bicycle safety poster contest, and one boy’s and one girl’s helmet will be awarded to each of the district’s elementary schools.
Lowman Hill Elementary School will have a math night for parents from 6 to 7 p.m. today at the school, 1101 S.W. Garfield.
Stout Elementary School’s second- and third-graders will perform their Valentine concert at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the school, 2302 S.W. College.
Quinton Heights Elementary School will have its annual chili and Bingo night at 6 p.m. Thursday at the school, 2331 S.W. Topeka Blvd. The cost is $1 for a bowl of chili, toppings and a drink.
The Highland Park High School Air Force JROTC will host a five- state drill competition from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the school, 2424 S.E. California. The event will feature about 1,000 cadets from 20 schools.
Topeka High School will host the third annual Heart of America Cheer Fest at 11 a.m. Saturday at the school, 800 S.W. 10th. The fest will feature competitions, demonstrations, food and drawings. Admission is $5 but free for children ages 5 and younger.
Mission Valley
USD 330
The Mission Valley High School FFA is sponsoring a blood drive from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Feb. 21 at the Agriculture Shop.
ACROSS TOPEKA
College Goal Sunday, a one-day, free event that allows students and their parents to receive help filling out the Free Application for Financial Student Aid, will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday in the Washburn Room of the Memorial Union at Washburn University, 1700 S.W. College Ave.
For information, visit www.collegegoal.org.
Barbara Hollingsworth contributed to this report.
Ann Marie Bush can be reached at (785) 295-1207 or ann.bush@cjonline.com.
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YOU NEED
TO KNOW
Auburn-Washburn USD 437: The district’s board of education will meet at 6:30 tonight at Shuler Education Center, 5928 S.W. 53rd.
Shawnee Heights USD 450: The district’s board of education will meet at 7 tonight at Shawnee Heights Middle School, 4335 S.E. Shawnee Heights Road, in Tecumseh.
Silver Lake USD 372: The district’s board of education will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the music room of Silver Lake Elementary School, 200 Rice Road.
Please see WATCH, Page 2B
Continued from Page 1B
Watch: ‘It’s nice just to help someone out’
SUBMITTED
Included in care packages sent to Washburn Rural graduate Brent Whitten, soldier on left, are stuffed animals to give to Iraqi children.