Pine Lake students find ways to serve the community
June 15, 2010
By Christopher Huber
Hundreds of tri-fold boards lined the bookshelves in the Pine Lake Middle School library as parents, students and teachers perused through the rows June 6.
In one corner, a dozen laptops blared with videos explaining local and international humanitarian causes while in another, youth explained what they learned during a community service project.
More than 200 students in four humanities-social studies classes showed off their projects at the school’s first community service fair.
“I thought, ‘we need to do this,’” said Eric Ensey, language arts and multimedia teacher.
Ensey had conducted a service project unit with his multimedia students throughout the year. Ultimately four teachers, including Ensey and sixth-grade humanities teacher Jill Knutson collaborated to organize the event.
“It’s really amazing to see how everyone else is touched by what’s going on,” said sixth-grader Maya Ensey. “It touches me to see our school growing in our community.”
Students had to address what charitable cause they chose, why they chose it and how it impacted other people and themselves.
Students supported a plethora of local causes, including the Seeds of Hope “Hoops of Hope” fundraiser event, the Issaquah Food Bank and Eastside Baby Corner.
They also supported organizations like MEOW Cat Rescue and Passion for Pets, Haiti relief efforts and various humanitarian programs like the International Justice Mission through Sammamish Presbyterian Church.
“I think it’s good they’re spending time on a worthy cause,” said seventh-grader Parker Ciambrone, who helped with the fair and did the Computers for Causes project earlier in the school year.
The students had most of the school year to find a cause, log their 10 hours of community service and compile the information for the fair, teachers and students said. In addition, Ensey’s multimedia students produced promotional videos and documentaries for their causes.
“It really wasn’t stressful at all,” said Sara Bruner, a sixth-grader.
Knutson said she figured the service project and subsequent fair was a good way to get students thinking about the humanity in humanities class. On top of simply receiving the grade for the project, she said the fair was another way to show off their efforts.
“If the kids have worked this hard, we would like to honor them,” Knutson said. “I think the kids are proud of what they’ve done. I would do this again, for sure.”
Ciambrone, like many of his classmates, highlighted how easy it is for youth in a well-off community like Sammamish to offer time and resources to those less fortunate.
“I learned that anybody can help something or somebody in need,” Parker said. “It’s important to know you can help people no matter what age you are.”
Reporter Christopher Huber can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 242, or chuber@isspress.com.
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