By: Jewel Mucklin, District Administrator & Katie Schaefer, Community Relations Coordinator
In the Wautoma Area School District, building a positive foundation for the success of our students extends far beyond evaluating functions and calculating numbers in math, reading and writing the explicitly and implicitly meaning of Lord of the Flies in English, and identifying the parts of a cell in Biology. With character education and employability skills being a significant focus of our educational foundation, the spirit of giving is alive in our schools’ year round especially going into winter break.
During November and December, students across grade levels from Kindergarten through 12th Grade participated in service learning activities. Wautoma High School wrestlers, Key Club members, and multiple staff volunteered at Stoneridge and Pick N’ Save to bell ring for the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign while other schools and student groups found ways to give back through organizing food drives, adopting a family in need, visiting the local senior center to spread cheer through caroling, or contributing to a community mural.
The excitement of the holiday season often can be felt throughout the halls as soon as everyone returns from Thanksgiving break and the enthusiasm is infectious. Students and staff are eager to spread joy far beyond their school building and into the lives of those in the community through a variety of ways. Riverview Elementary opened their doors to the 4K families for their annual concert and craft day while grandparents were invited to spend the morning with the Kindergarteners. Parkside Middle School and Wautoma High School Bands and Choirs provided concerts to the community to show off their talents and spread joy throughout the weeks leading up to winter break. Riverview Elementary even took the caroling on the road by visiting the Senior Center while our Wautoma High School Key Club members helped pack items for families by volunteering for the Waushara County Community Christmas Project.
Through volunteering, students learn about kindness and being generous to others through a hands-on approach that both showcases student talents and connects classroom lessons to community needs. Recently, Wautoma High School students enrolled in AP Spanish and the members of the Spanish National Honor Society took their entire classroom to Heartland House to visit with senior residents. Prior to their visit, the students created a Spanish Christmas Bingo Game as a way to spread holiday cheer. Elementary student artwork was featured at the Waushara Area Chamber of Commerce’s Breakfast with Santa.
Students not only learn about kindness and being generous to others by participating in service learning projects, but also actively engage in giving to the community. Redgranite Elementary donated 220 pairs of pajamas to the Waushara County Holiday Project while Parkside’s homerooms competed against each other to raise over 3,000 food items.
Even with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, students and staff throughout the Wautoma Area School District are focused on giving back and remain committed to that mission. Service learning projects have become a cherished tradition for our school district. They remind us that education extends beyond books and tests - students learn that they are a vital part of the community and are part of something greater than themselves.