St. Elmo class helping students learn importance of serving community

Feb. 24—ST. ELMO — Most school districts in Illinois require students to perform community service hours. However, one school district has taken that requirement one step further.

In 2019, three St. Elmo School District teachers — Michelle Metzger, Erin Niebrugge and Cathy Loy — started a Community Service Class as a way to encourage students to diversify their community service projects and have them reflect on their time volunteering.

They also wanted to give students the opportunity to develop and express pride in their school and community, with the goal of improving public relations between the school and community while instilling accomplishment within students.

"The hope is that given these opportunities, students will form a sense of civic responsibility that will instill volunteer habits beyond their school years," the program's mission statement reads.

The class is a quarter session that students complete following Driver's Ed. During the class, students research nonprofit local, state and national organizations. They also organize a class fundraiser and work that fundraiser through the course of the quarter. The grade for the class is set up on a pass or a fail basis. If the students complete all the assigned work during the semester, they will receive a passing grade. Students then donate the money raised throughout the quarter to local charities in and around St. Elmo.

As part of the class, students are tasked with starting a Community Service Portfolio that showcases the hours they earn throughout high school. Graduating seniors must complete 24 service hours. This portfolio will stay with them through high school and they will submit it their senior year.

Since the program began, students have picked up trash at the local park, and cleaned up landscaping around the elementary school and district unit office. They have also completed a marquee sign restoration, visited nursing homes where they played games with residents, and participated in Santa's Cottage. They have also created cards for the local nursing home for various holidays, including Christmas and Veterans Day.

The class' fundraisers have included a couple of Nelson's Drive-Thru dinners in the spring semesters, a Taco-in-a-Bag fundraiser at home basketball games, a Niemerg's pie and cookie fundraiser, online auction of items donated from local businesses, and a student organized "Road Rally" and drive-thru dinner.

In the last year, they have donated money to the American Cancer Society, and recently, the fall class donated a total of $1,000 to the St. Elmo Lions Club, St. Elmo Food Pantry and St. Elmo Fire Department.

The class' current instructors, Patrick Mays and Morgan Cox, admit the program has gone through some "growing pains" after having just begun before COVID hit that resulted in a halt of activities and structure within the class. Since that time, the program has been restructured.

"Similar to any new program, it just takes time to adapt to the structure and become familiar with the changes and rules made to our Eagle Pride program. I believe the program is set up well and will make sense once there are some consistent years back to back," said Cox.

The instructors say the overall feedback from community members and supervisors of places students have volunteered at has been positive and they are grateful for the district's encouragement of community service.

The two are working daily to improve areas of the program by adding resources to help students and finding new ways to serve the community. The instructors are also working to engage each student in the class.

"Fortunately, we perform a variety of tasks that exhibit community service in different ways.

"This has allowed the students to shine in how they serve and find activities that they enjoy within the class," said Mays.

Ultimately, Cox said the class is seen as a way to teach students about the importance and benefits of volunteering and helping their community.

"Teaching our students the importance of serving the community is important for the growth of our community to come," she said.

The Community Service Class is set to kick off again March 13 with a new group of students, and already a spring fundraiser date is set for April 21 with a Nelson's Drive-Thru Dinner.

Tickets will go on sale in late March, with details to come. Follow the class on Facebook: St. Elmo High School Community Service Class.