Student Service Learning Project Exceeds Goal

by Jonathan Weaver

A group of Lenape Tech students greatly exceeded their goal during a service learning project that ran through February 29.

During the “Pack Yo Bags” project to fill empty backpacks for homeless or displaced students across the Armstrong-Indiana Intermediate Unit (ARIN IU 28), Keystone SMILES AmeriCorps Autumn Lusk said students and community residents bought enough supplies to help more than 150 K-12 students in need.

The last 50 backpacks were filled after an anonymous $2,500 check from a Pittsburgh Foundation trust.

“We had an anonymous donation come in from a donor through the Pittsburgh Foundation that was to be used for 50 bags to be used exclusively in Armstrong County. (Friday), a bunch of my student volunteers and adult volunteers went to Walmart and shopped for different age groups and genders, Lusk said.

“We purchased everything for in the bags and the bags, packed those all up and that was our last 50 – so our final count was 152. We’ve more than tripled our goal.”

Lenape Tech students only originally hoped to pack 50 bags with school supplies such as notebooks, markers and colored pencils last month.

Friday, ARIN IU 28 Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness Site Coordinator Maureen Bourke and Regional Coordinator Andrea Sheesley,
Lenape Tech Homeless Representative Carla Thimons and Armstrong School District’s Homeless Representative Jon Fair each divvied up their backpacks to help local students in-need.

Fair told Lusk the first thing families ask for after a disaster is often school supplies.

Every backpack had a card inside it signed by the individual technical shop that packed it.

“We’re happy that it went to you and we hope it helps you continue your success and your education,” the cards read.
Lusk, of West Kittanning, was impressed by the student interest in the project.

“This is a population that’s very feasible for them to help, and it doesn’t take some grand gesture for them to help them,” Lusk said. “I think (students) are really committed to it because it (was) kids their age.”

Besides school supplies, Lusk said the students were able to also include low-cost fun items, from coloring books to ear buds.

Backpacks filled by an individual technology shop also received a tally on a set of windows at the school library, and the shop with the most tallies at the end of the month will receive a donut party.

The cosmetology students filled the most backpacks – 28 ½. Their party is scheduled for this week.

The 152 bags also exceeded ARIN IU 28’s estimated number of bags they have to distribute.

“Everyone was really great with each other. It was very high-energy, very efficient. I was very surprised,” Lusk said.

Orchestrated by Book Club and SkillsUSA students, Lusk said financial literacy, mathematics and public interaction was also taught during the service project.