One of the main tenets of the National Junior Honor Society is community service, but the Churchville-Chili junior high chapter went above and beyond this summer as they sweated and toiled in 90 plus degree heat to build an outdoor classroom. Board of Education President Brian Voorheis cut the ribbon and spoke at the official unveiling at the Junior High School Open House this fall. The project began months before as the NJHS members brainstormed ideas with their advisor, Claire Eiselen. This concept had to be approved by everyone on up through the Board of Education. Students had to have detailed plans and fully-documented research. Funding for the project was raised through a Valentine's Day flower sale and by selling black and orange "Saints" wrist bands. Then the physical labor began. According to Ellen Sadri, National Junior Honor Society group president, workers arrived at 8 a.m. many days over their summer vacation to shovel a total of 87 wheelbarrows of gravel, lay over 1,000 paving stones, plant over 30 perennials and put down one-and-a-half cubic yards of mulch. Current NJHS members hope that future members will augment the project with paved pathways, a sculpture garden and eventually a water feature. "We wanted to create something that would enrich the student body for years to come. Let this courtyard be a concrete symbol that indeed, we are the future," remarked Sadri. "I'm really proud of these kids. They asked for advice, but ownership, motivation and the gritty tasks of getting the work done belong to them," said David Hamilton, junior high school principal. Students and parents involved in the planning phase of the courtyard were: Todd Adams, Alex Ives, Mrs. Ives, Shane Lawson, Zantel Martin, Kelsey Peterson and Laura Serio. Those engaged both planning and actually building were Lily Costello, Sara Diesel, DeAnna Klapp, Matt Lucarelli, Nolan Lynch, Mr. and Mrs. Lynch, Kellen Magiera, Mr. Magiera, Bryan Meyers, Mrs. Meyers, Mr. and Mrs. Sadri and Ellen Sadri. October 30, 2005 |
