By MILDRED BROWDER-HUGHES
Correspondent
JOHNSONVILLE — When Myra Owens, sixth grade teacher at Johnsonville Middle School, decided to involve her social studies students in the community, she chose a good thing.
Ms. Owens had a study course for the students in community service projects. She then assigned each student to take on a community service project all their own. She gave them some ideas, but left the choosing of the project to the imagination of each individual.
The students had to identify a need. They had to write how they would go about the project and document their work as they went along. After completion, they had to write an article on the outcome and they were graded on the overall project.
She said, “I have never been a part of anything so rewarding to the students and community. Imagine the impact of over 100 students working to make a difference in the lives of people or the community as a whole.”
Some of the students chose to do individual projects while others chose to work in groups. One group hosted a bake sale in the Piggly Wiggly parking lot one Saturday and used their profits to further their project. With the money they bought items appropriate for older, infirm people and took them to residents in a nursing home. Another group collected $1,200 for the Humane Society. Additionally, they took 1200 pounds of dry dog food to the animal shelter.
Alex Harrell, 11, chose an individual project. He heard his mother, Shelia Harrell, who is employed as clerk for the city of Johnsonville, talking about the need for help in putting up the decorations in the park at the intersection of Hwy. 41/341. He thought that was something he could do.
City Councilman Brad Richardson, whose responsibility it was to get the park set up before the Christmas parade, said in a letter to Alex’s teacher,
“The park at the corner which has been a holiday staple in our community for over 35 years, was designed and decorated this year by Alex Harrell.”
“Alex decided where each decoration should be placed and took part in the full decorating scheme of the entire park. This year when I somehow got myself responsible for decorating the park I was a little stressed for help and guidance. Alex was like my angel. He reminded me of what the holiday season is all about. It’s not what might be most elegant or has the best themed message. It is seeing Christmas once again through the bright warm eyes of a child. The joy in Alex’s eyes and the brightness of his smile reminded me of the days as a boy when Christmas was full of surprises, love and friendship.”
“I am a strong advocate for community service and it brightened my holiday to see the students in our schools giving back to their community in an act of service to their neighbors locally and in nearby cities and towns.”
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