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Upland Heights Elementary School

Superintendent's Student Advisory Board Gives Back to Community

The Superintendent’s Student Advisory Board is a group of students that represent each class at Frenship High School and the freshman class at the FHS Ninth Grade Center.
 
The group meets every six-weeks to discuss things happening around the District, complete community service projects, and they often give Community Tours of Frenship High School and the FHS Ninth Grade Center.
 
This year will be the fifth year that the group has created blankets to donate. A few years ago, they partnered with the UMC Cancer Center and they plan to continue that partnership this year. 

In February of 2017, Frenship Superintendent Dr. McCord’s mother became ill and was admitted to in-patient hospice care. When the family arrived at the hospice facility, they were given a blanket. Attached to this blanket was a note of encouragement.

“Often a family lives hundreds of miles away from their loved one and shows up to the facility with nothing,” said Dr. McCord. “Then, it is difficult to leave because those moments are precious. You know, the patient already has a blanket on their bed, so it is more of a gift for the family. It just meant so much to me when we received one.”

This blanket made such an impact on Dr. McCord that she wanted to give back what was given to her. 

Frenship High School Juniors Morgan Altman, Jacob De La Garza, David Winger, and Willis Giles have participated in creating the blankets since they joined the Student Advisory Board as Freshmen. 

"I think this project gives those patients a little taste of love and home," Winger said.

The students explained that this is their favorite community service project to do each year.

"We do this every year to help those in the community feel loved," De La Garza said. "It makes sense to do it around this time of year because it is needed because of the weather."

Giles said that, to him, community outreach is the most important part of being a member of the Student Advisory Board.

"Community outreach helps us establish connections with other organizations which then helps us create the feeling of being tied to the entire community," Giles said. "It allows for the creation of new friendships, collaborations, and bonds."

Altman said that participating in these types of projects truly is what the Frenship Way is all about.

"You know we have the acronym SERVE that you see every where, in all the classrooms, and I know that as a District we really model that," Altman said. "It is all about taking the blessings we have been given and sharing them with the community."

The students are looking forward to the other upcoming community service projects this year such as food bag packing for students during the holiday break and passing out food for the Boys and Girls club later on in the spring.

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