Kane Schools are All 'Smiles'
By SANDRA RHODES
If these three women have their way, there will be a “smile” on everyone’s face in Kane.
Kathleen Prosperi, Kathy Long and Ashley Mix all are part of the Keystone SMILES Americorps program, which helps students in the Kane Area School District reach their full potential inside and outside of the classroom. Prosperi has been working with high school students, Kathy Long with middle and elementary school students and Mix in the elementary school.
Since this program is new to the area – Kane district is the first one to implement it -an informational forum will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 22, in the middle school auditorium in Kane.
“We want to tell people what the benefits are and how to get involved,” Mix said of the program which involves both tutoring and volunteering.
Keystone SMILES originated as a service-learning project in the Keystone School District in 1990 and became an AmeriCorps*State program in October 1994. It is considered one of the most innovative service-learning programs across the nation. SMILES (Students Modeling Ideal Life Experience)believes in combining education with community service as a teaching methodology for all generations. Special emphasis has been placed on school readiness and school success initiatives. SMILES implements over 20 different programs addressing child development, at-risk youth, school support, service learning, fitness and recreation, human needs, environment, senior citizens and adult education.
For Mix, it has been tutoring students in kindergarten through fifth grade in math and reading. These students are referred to Mix by a teacher or guidance counselor. She has also had students volunteer to make thank-you cards for veterans and then delivered them to the Lutheran Home of Kane on Veterans Day.
“They were so excited,” Mix said of the veterans. “Some shared their stories (of war).
“It opened their eyes,” she added, referring to the students.
Mix also spends time in the Mount Jewett Library to tutor any child in that area.
Long helps out in both the middle and elementary schools by being in the classroom and giving assistance to a child who may need it.
Both Long and Mix also help with a new reading program. Each student is supposed to read 20 minutes a day, but some cannot get it done. That’s where the “Book Buddies” – sixth grade volunteers – listen to the younger students read.
At the high school, Prosperi keeps her students on track in finishing assignments and offering assistance.
“I make them feel like they have somebody” they can go to, she said.
She also helps the students achieve the eight hours of community service they have to perform in each grade in the high school. That’s 32 hours by the time they graduate.
“I funnel their energy into a project and make them aware of what they can do,” she said.
For instance, more students are becoming involved in KARE for Kane, a community-wide clean-up project that will be held for the second time this year.
She has also helped students become more comfortable going to the Lutheran Home to volunteer by taking them over first to get their bearings and understand how things work. Other students have gone to Headstart to read to the children there.
Another project Prosperi heads involves the students learning about area agencies and how they work. For instance, the students are told to write down what they know about an area agency, such as the Kane Area Development Center. They then meet with Director Melanie Clabaugh who answers any questions they may have and fill them in on what her office actually does.
Then together, the students, director and Prosperi think of a project the students can do to help the agency. For instance, they collected books for the public library.
“We get them to do something,” Prosperi said. “They don’t have to get paid for doing something good.”
“We can’t take the place of a teacher,” Long said. “But we are allowed to do anything extra.”
The news leader of the Twin Tiers ...
since 1947
If these three women have their way, there will be a “smile” on everyone’s face in Kane.
Kathleen Prosperi, Kathy Long and Ashley Mix all are part of the Keystone SMILES Americorps program, which helps students in the Kane Area School District reach their full potential inside and outside of the classroom. Prosperi has been working with high school students, Kathy Long with middle and elementary school students and Mix in the elementary school.
Since this program is new to the area – Kane district is the first one to implement it -an informational forum will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 22, in the middle school auditorium in Kane.
“We want to tell people what the benefits are and how to get involved,” Mix said of the program which involves both tutoring and volunteering.
Keystone SMILES originated as a service-learning project in the Keystone School District in 1990 and became an AmeriCorps*State program in October 1994. It is considered one of the most innovative service-learning programs across the nation. SMILES (Students Modeling Ideal Life Experience)believes in combining education with community service as a teaching methodology for all generations. Special emphasis has been placed on school readiness and school success initiatives. SMILES implements over 20 different programs addressing child development, at-risk youth, school support, service learning, fitness and recreation, human needs, environment, senior citizens and adult education.
For Mix, it has been tutoring students in kindergarten through fifth grade in math and reading. These students are referred to Mix by a teacher or guidance counselor. She has also had students volunteer to make thank-you cards for veterans and then delivered them to the Lutheran Home of Kane on Veterans Day.
“They were so excited,” Mix said of the veterans. “Some shared their stories (of war).
“It opened their eyes,” she added, referring to the students.
Mix also spends time in the Mount Jewett Library to tutor any child in that area.
Long helps out in both the middle and elementary schools by being in the classroom and giving assistance to a child who may need it.
Both Long and Mix also help with a new reading program. Each student is supposed to read 20 minutes a day, but some cannot get it done. That’s where the “Book Buddies” – sixth grade volunteers – listen to the younger students read.
At the high school, Prosperi keeps her students on track in finishing assignments and offering assistance.
“I make them feel like they have somebody” they can go to, she said.
She also helps the students achieve the eight hours of community service they have to perform in each grade in the high school. That’s 32 hours by the time they graduate.
“I funnel their energy into a project and make them aware of what they can do,” she said.
For instance, more students are becoming involved in KARE for Kane, a community-wide clean-up project that will be held for the second time this year.
She has also helped students become more comfortable going to the Lutheran Home to volunteer by taking them over first to get their bearings and understand how things work. Other students have gone to Headstart to read to the children there.
Another project Prosperi heads involves the students learning about area agencies and how they work. For instance, the students are told to write down what they know about an area agency, such as the Kane Area Development Center. They then meet with Director Melanie Clabaugh who answers any questions they may have and fill them in on what her office actually does.
Then together, the students, director and Prosperi think of a project the students can do to help the agency. For instance, they collected books for the public library.
“We get them to do something,” Prosperi said. “They don’t have to get paid for doing something good.”
“We can’t take the place of a teacher,” Long said. “But we are allowed to do anything extra.”
The news leader of the Twin Tiers ...since 1947
.jpg)
Comments