Conemaugh Township (CT) Area School District currently hosts a team of Pennsylvania Mountain Service Corps AmeriCorps members to support their learners’ literacy, math, and social skills. The 2023-2024 CT PMSC AmeriCorps team: Kayla Blackford, Terri Duffy, Brayden Smith, and Jenna Weaver, all have a passion for engaging their students academically. Even more, they all find it equally important to encourage their students to build healthy relationships. So, together the community-minded team reached out to the elementary principal, Mrs. Samantha Rosa, and other administrators, with the idea to host a ‘Community Helper Appreciation Breakfast’ and outreach day.
The team’s goal was two-fold: one, to express appreciation to essential workers and volunteers who give of their time, talent, and resources, sometimes at great risk to themselves, to make Conemaugh Township a safer, healthier, and stronger place to call home; and two, to promote relationship building by welcoming these helpers to come learn about the great things happening at CT Elementary. The administrators gave enthusiastic support to the idea, the PMSC AmeriCorps team approached the Conemaugh Township Rotary Club to provide sponsorship funds, and the proverbial community-building wheels went into motion. The special guest list included local firefighters and fire police, bus drivers, first aid and EMT workers, police officers, township supervisors, CT Rotarians, school board members. The plan was simple: feed people a great meal, encourage and thank them for their service, offer building tours and classroom visits, and provide opportunity for social interactions between the students and special guests.
So, to kick-off a month of kindness and love, the CT PMSC AmeriCorps team chose Friday, February 2, 2024 for the special event, and the CT PMSC AmeriCorps team welcomed 33 special guest community helpers. One reason that these community leaders hold a special place in the hearts of the CT AmeriCorps team is the shared sense of community and self-sacrifice. PMSC AmeriCorps member, Jenna Weaver, in her thank you remarks to the gathered community helpers praised those gathered noting that their, “dedication and service to our community inspires us all.” Principal Rosa noted that CT’s PMSC AmeriCorps team exemplifies that same willingness to prioritize service above self, “They provide academic engagement before school, during school, and after school; they put on events like this… they work really hard.” Fifth grade Student Council members also expressed thanksgiving for all those who go above and beyond to bring out the very best of Conemaugh Township and of America. Many teachers also signed up to welcome special guest visitors to their classrooms. Second grade teacher, Renee Dryer was happy to welcome guests for a visit, noting, “This is such a great idea! I love that our students get to express their thanks to these community members who give so much of themselves.”
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