CACHE, Okla. (AP) - All 140 students Cache Middle School students in Wendy DeIorio’s eighth-grade English classes were recently given an unusual homework assignment — one that had nothing to do with adjectives or pronouns, or reading literature - community service projects that involved a random volunteer act.
Some of those volunteer actions included picking up trash, offering to mow lawns or even volunteering to walk a dog for free.
The project sent them out into their community, talking to their families and neighbors and partnering with classmates and friends to see what random acts of kindness they could do. It was their acts of charity and goodwill that surprised both their teacher and the administration.
“I’m used to seeing my kids get excited about this project each year, but this group really outdid themselves,” DeIorio told The Lawton Constitution (https://bit.ly/2cHQRJD ).
The project began four years ago as a September 11 project to honor victims and their families on the anniversary of the 2001 terror attacks.
“Most of my students weren’t even born or have no memory of the event, but it’s important that they learn the valuable lesson of service above self,” DeIorio said.
Students in this year’s class went out individually and together to clean up trash from an area creek, donated clothes, picked up trash from city parks, planted a tree on campus, spent time at area nursing homes and even donated money to online charity organizations.
She said one purpose is to teach her students there is a much bigger world out there than their inner selves.
“I believe in teaching my students in giving back in some way,” she said. “Eighth grade is a great time to teach them that the world is much bigger than just them and that they can do good in the world. I’ve done my job as an educator if students go out and do something good in the world.”
Two students, Luke Hill and Mario Nino, took it upon themselves to plant a tree in front of the school as their project. They planted a redbud (the state tree of Oklahoma) and look forward to seeing grow in the coming years.
“I like plants. I took after my dad, whose hobby is gardening,” Nino said. “I started working with him when I was 7 years old.”
“I like nature and saw this as a great opportunity,” Hill said.
Nino and Hill planted the tree in 15 minutes.
“I could see it grow another 12 feet,” Hill said. “I won’t be leaving Oklahoma anytime soon. I plan to stay here and watch it get bigger.”
Rozlyn Rees and Kaley Muse raised funds for Special Olympics.
“We went to Kaley’s house and made posters to hang in the hallways at school,” Rees said. “And then we made cookies that were blue with sprinkles.”
Muse and Rees chose Special Olympics as their project in honor of her younger brother, Brennan, 7, who was found to be autistic at age 18 months.
“I really want to do something that would relate to Brennan,” Muse said.
Rees and Muse sold their cookies in the school cafeteria during their 20-minute lunch period and raised $30.
“We would like to thank Mrs. DeIorio for letting do this project,” Rees said.
“It was this particular project that really moved me,” said Central Middle School Principal Mitch Ange. “Watching our students want to give back in a way that would benefit other kids here at our own school is really heartwarming.”
The assignment gave students two weeks to complete their service projects from Sept. 2 through Sept. 9 Students had their choice of community service projects. They could work alone or in groups.
“What really amazed me was that a group of our students could be so selfless and creative and not care so much about the grade involved, but really understand that it was about doing something for someone else,” said Superintendent Chad Hance. “I was really impressed to see the pictures (Mrs. DeIorio) had to show me.”
DeIorio said this year’s students ambitious with their projects.
“I’ve been blown away by their generosity and giving spirit,” she said. “This helps Cache Middle School’s status as a Great Expectations Model School.”
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Information from: The Lawton Constitution, https://www.swoknews.com
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