News release from Fort Wayne Community Schools:
Serving Others, Special Meals Highlight Thanksgiving Events
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, many schools in Fort Wayne Community Schools are helping those in need, preparing special meals and learning about the history and meaning of the holiday.
One of the largest food drives in the district is the Great High School Food Drive, which began this month and ends Dec. 14. North Side, Snider, New Tech Academy at Wayne and South Side high schools are collecting nonperishable food items that will be distributed through the St. Mary’s Christmas Food Box Program and Miss Virginia’s Mission House. Donations can be dropped off at the four participating high schools from 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Friday (except Nov. 22 and 23). Several other schools, including Franke Park, Shambaugh and Study elementary schools and Lakeside Middle School, are participating in food drives to support families in need in their buildings.
Other events taking place next week include:
Monday, Nov. 19
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[li]Waynedale Elementary, 7201 Elzey St., is collecting non-perishable food items this week. Students will deliver the items to Community Harvest Food Bank on Nov. 27.[/li]
[li]Northcrest Elementary, 5301 Archwood Lane, is collecting food for families in need. Students are able to participate in spirit days for bringing in a nonperishable food item. Monday is Hat Day.[/li]
[/list]Tuesday, Nov. 20
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[li]Northcrest Elementary, 5301 Archwood Lane, is collecting food for families in need. Students are able to participate in spirit days for bringing in a nonperishable food item. Tuesday is Crazy Sock Day.[/li]
[li]Students at Franke Park Elementary, 828 Mildred Ave., will write and perform silly turkey songs during music classes the week of Nov. 19. In addition, Pyromation Inc. is donating 10 turkeys to Franke Park families in need for Thanksgiving.[/li]
[li]Students in kindergarten, second and fourth grades at Lincoln Elementary, 1001 E. Cook Road, will invite the VIPs in their lives to spend the morning with them at school, giving the students a chance to show their guests their work and thank them for being supportive in their education.[/li]
[li]Students at Harrison Hill Academy, 355 Cornell Circle, will participate in the 27th Annual Gobble Off. During this lively event, students perform their best turkey impersonation for their peers.[/li]
[li]Kindergarten students at Holland Elementary, 7000 Red Haw Drive, will have a Thanksgiving Feast with turkey, dressing and vegetables at 11:15 a.m. Each student will be dressed as a pilgrim or Native American to represent how the groups came together on the first Thanksgiving.[/li]
[li]At Indian Village, 3835 Wenonah Lane, students will enjoy a Thanksgiving Feast at 11:30 a.m. Students and staff are encouraged to dress up for the event.[/li]
[/list]Wednesday, Nov. 21
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[li]Northcrest Elementary, 5301 Archwood Lane, is collecting food for families in need. Students are able to participate in spirit days for bringing in a nonperishable food item. Wednesday is Favorite Shirt Day.[/li]
[li]Students in the 9-12 cluster (4-6 grades) at Towles Montessori Intermediate School, 420 E. Paulding Road, will meet with Justin Ralston, founder of Refugees Read, from 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Refugees Read supports and promotes the education and literacy of refugees in Africa. The organization has collected thousands of books to send to refugees. Ralston will talk to students about the refugees in Africa and his organization’s efforts, sharing photos and videos. The students will then teleconference with those in Africa involved in the effort. During the week of Nov. 26-30, Towles will have spirit days to raise money for Refugees Read.[/li]
[li]Kindergarten students at Holland Elementary will have a harvest celebration with each student making their own pudding pumpkin pie. The celebration includes reading and math activities related to Thanksgiving.[/li]
[li]Students in first, third and fifth grades at Lincoln Elementary will invite the VIPs in their lives to spend the morning with them at school, giving the students a chance to show their guests their work and thank them for being supportive in their education.[/li]
[li]Kindergarten students at Bunche Montessori Early Childhood Center, 1111 Greene Street, will gather together for a traditional Thanksgiving feast at 11 a.m. Students are responsible for preparing most of the food with Bob Evans donating dressing and gravy.[/li]
[li]The Smile Squad, a group of fifth-graders at South Wayne Elementary School, 810 Cottage Ave., will prepare a Thanksgiving feast. Students will apply math, reading and social skills to this real world experience as they write and deliver invitations, read recipes, follow directions, adjust quantities, measure ingredients, calculate costs and manage time as they prepare the extensive class created menu. The students will eat as a community as they enjoy items including noodles, mashed potatoes, turkey, deviled eggs, fresh salad and pumpkin pie.[/li]
[li]Students and staff at Nebraska Elementary, 1525 Boone St., will have a school-wide family-style dinner from 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Prior to the meal, classes will discuss the meaning of Thanksgiving, and during the meal, kindergarten students will perform a skit.[/li]
[li]Students and staff at Maplewood Elementary, 2200 Maplewood Road, will come together at noon to enjoy lunch and share why they are thankful.[/li]
[li]Northwood Middle School, 1201 E. Washington Center Road, will have its 9th annual Aunt Elena’s Hair Care Challenge Assembly at 1:30 p.m. The assembly is a celebration of Northwood students’ accomplishments with the challenge. Students will perform live songs written and produced by Northwood’s “RockaBirdie Records.” Music videos produced by Northwood’s Advance Cardinal Television class will play in the background as the students perform. In between songs, teachers, students and events that exemplified the Spirit of Aunt Elena will be highlighted. At the end of the assembly, Northwood students will present a check to Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana, this year’s recipient of funds raised over the last month. Over the last nine years, Northwood has raised more than $40,000 for charity.
Saturday, Nov. 24[/li]
[li]Shawnee Middle School students are invited to Shawnee Night at the Komets Hockey game at 7:30 p.m. Longtime Shawnee teacher and Coach Jerry Zent will drop the puck to start the game.[/li]
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