Fridley Middle School Students Giving of Their Time, Treasures, and Talents.
During the Months of November and December, Fridley Middle School (Fridley, MN USA) students spent countless hours giving back to the local, national and international communities. Students led a variety of community and service initiatives starting with the sixth grade students baking, assembling and decorating gingerbread houses and auctioning their works of art raising over $600 for Southern Anoka County Assistance (S.A.C.A.). Focusing on an international need was Mr. Bogle’s homeroom students requesting donations to fill ten shoeboxes for children in third world countries (Operation Christmas Child). On a national level was Mr. Terebayza’s homeroom organized and led a “Toys for Tots” drive to support the Armed Forces initiative for children ages 0 – 16 to receive a toy during Christmas. And several homerooms focused on the needs at the local level, in the city of Fridley or Anoka County. Ms. Lee’s homeroom for the third year in a row adopted a family in need of assistance. The students gathered a small Christmas tree, decorations, used winter clothing, and gifts for the mother and her three boys. Mrs. Favreau’s homeroom added some “minty” fun to the week prior to break, by selling candy cane grams for .50 cents, the money raised was donated to the Anoka County Animal Humane Society; they raised $180.00. On a more personal note, Mr. Branitski and Mr. Ellingson’s homerooms responded to the immediate and sudden needs of two Fridley families. Mr. Branitski’s homeroom raised $170.00 by wearing hats, donating Target giftcards to a Fridley family that was in need over the holidays. Mr. Ellingson’s homeroom raised $122 for a former homeroom student who lost everything in a house fire.Fridley Middle School, an authorized International Baccalaureate (IB) World Schools are providing a climate in which students learn to respect and value self-initiated action. Community and Service begins in the classroom and extends beyond it, requiring students to participate in the communities in which they live. The emphasis is on developing community awareness and concern, a sense of responsibility, and the skills and attitudes needed to make an effective contribution to society. I am so proud of the efforts of all of our IB students at Fridley Middle School.
