Getting into the Spirit of Service

IISD elementary schools are getting into the spirit of community service as they near the final stages of projects aimed at giving back to the Irving community as part of the SLANT 45 initiative. Stipes Elementary School students are working to renovate the playground and add a soccer field at San Grande Mobile Home Park in Irving November 20. San Grande was selected by students as an area of need in their neighborhood where many Stipes students live. To raise money for the project, students sold drinks and snacks November 1-5 to reach their goal of $1,000. On November 11, Stipes will purchase a new slide, four swings, two benches, soccer goals, paint and concrete from Lowes Home Improvement in Irving, which has agreed to sell the items at a discount. Members of Oak View Baptist Church – partner in education with Stipes – have volunteered to help the students through the use of tools and labor.

Farine Elementary School Respect Corps will be making “bedtime bags” for children of women that seek help from Genesis Women’s Shelter from 3-4 p.m. December 3 at Farine. The Farine Respect Corps is a student service organization that began several years ago and involves more than 30 third-fifth graders and at least five teacher-sponsors. The group has learned that often when a mother visits the shelter, she may have little money and is accompanied by young children. The first thing women usually ask for is food for their children. In these “bedtime bags,” the Farine group will include a non-perishable juice drink, fruit gummy snacks, crackers and a “Hackysack”-type toy. The bags will be brightly decorated, filled with the items by Farine Respect Corps members, then delivered by a faculty sponsor to the shelter.

Students at Lee Elementary School are planning to go to Dallas to help distribute sandwiches and gift bags for the homeless from 6-8:30 p.m. December 7th. Lee students will be assisting the Irving community group SEALS: Service, Encouragement, Action & Love. Beginning at 3 p.m. December 7, students will make sandwiches, write notes of encouragement, and assemble their “Lion Packs” gift bags. The Lion Packs will include a water bottle, non-perishable snack, toothbrush and toothpaste. At 6 p.m., students, parents and volunteers will depart from First Baptist Church in Irving with the SEALS community group to deliver their sandwiches. The student group consists of 43 volunteers from grades 3-5 and eight faculty sponsors.

In addition to Farine, Lee and Stipes, IISD schools participating in SLANT 45 include Britain Elementary School, Brandenburg Elementary School, Elliott Elementary School, John Haley Elementary School, Johnston Elementary School, and Schulze Elementary School. In cooperation between the North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee and area school districts, the Big Thought creative learning organization is currently sponsoring SLANT 45: Service Learning Adventures in North Texas. SLANT 45 is a free youth education program developed for elementary-age children and aims to become one of the biggest communitywide service-learning programs for children in America.