On Saturday, September 21, Aiken County Public Schools’ ONE TEAM will roll up their sleeves for a day of service devoted to helping our community.
From washing police cars and assisting with community events, to creating care packages and building blessing boxes, this year's ONE K-12 COMMUNITY DAY OF CARING is an opportunity for the District’s students, parents and staff to give back and provide helping hands for a day of service to the community.
“We are excited to be switching the format for this year’s ‘Day of Caring,’” commented Merry Glenne Piccolino, Aiken County Public Schools’ Director of Communications and Community Partnerships. “Community groups, volunteers and individuals have given thousands of hours over the last three years during this annual day of service, a community volunteer event that has traditionally been devoted to improvements to our community’s K-12 facilities. This year, we look forward to demonstrating our collective appreciation by going out into the community just as the community has come into our schools for a little sprucing up and support.”
While most schools are working individually on community service projects, several schools have partnered with one another and chosen to work together. Leavelle McCampbell Middle and Byrd Elementary are collaborating to create care bags for patients and families at the Children’s Hospital of Georgia. This project is in honor of beloved student Trent Shealy who is receiving treatment there for leukemia.
“It was an easy decision to choose our ‘Day of Caring’ project as a team. The Graniteville schools are steeped in a foundation of a strong community of caring people.” commented Dr. Tiffany Hall, Principal of Leavelle McCampbell Middle School. “When one of our own is sick or needs help, we pull together. Trent Shealy is an example of courage, kindness, and triumph. Byrd and Leavelle feel honored to give back in his honor to the Children’s Hospital.”
Our schools have found a variety of projects to provide students with learning opportunities, and Saturday is expected to be the school system’s largest community service event of its kind to date.
“We want to stress service learning,” commented Edwin Laughter, Assistant Principal at Aiken High, who leads students in the school’s Day of Caring project each year. “It’s important. We want the graduates of our school to know how to give back to the community when they leave us.”
LINK TO DISTRICT'S PRESS RELEASE: 2019 PR DAY OF CARING PROMO