Fifth and sixth grade students at Trenton Middle School who wish to develop their leadership qualities through experiences in volunteer community service have a unique opportunity to do so through a new service organization chartered at the school.
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Fifth and sixth grade students at Trenton Middle School who wish to develop their leadership qualities through experiences in volunteer community service have a unique opportunity to do so through a new service organization chartered at the school.
The TMS Builders Club, sponsored by the Trenton Kiwanis Club and Trenton High School Key Club, was chartered Oct. 22 with 62 members, a number that was significantly higher than had been anticipated.
?We were absolutely surprised by the response,? said Kara Helmandollar, a member of the Trenton Kiwanis Youth Committee. ?We were surprised and a little overwhelmed, but there?s no way to say ?okay, we?ll take these 20 kids?. They?re all good kids and we?re happy they?re interested in being a part.?
Mrs. Helmandollar said the ultimate goal of the club, as far as Kiwanis members are concerned is to encourage service.
?We hope to instill a desire in them for service,? she said. ?We hope that as they get older and become adults they will continue to have the desire to serve the community in some way.?
Ruby Woodson, another committee member said she hopes the students learn that there is more than one way to ?get paid? for doing something. One student asked her how much they would get paid for their work in the community. She responded that he would ?know it in your heart.? Mrs. Woodson said she feels the club will get youngsters to use a desire to serve in a way that hasn?t been available in the past.
?Maybe it?s been in them all the time, but no one?s given them the opportunity,? she said. ?Kids are always the last thing on the list, although we talk about them being so important. I think we just haven?t given them the opportunities to serve.?
The Builders Club is designed for the student who wishes to make a personal contribution to their school, community and peers. The objectives of the club include providing opportunities for working together in service to school and community; developing leadership potential; fostering the development of strong moral character; and encouraging loyalty to school, community and nation. In a permission form required to be considered for membership, students listed a variety of reasons, including helping the community, being with friends, increasing their self-esteem and becoming a better person.
?I will be participating in activities that will help our community and country. It will be fun, stress-free, non-competitive and we will be with our friends!? wrote one student.
?I want to participate in Builders Club because I think it would be a great feeling to help someone,? wrote another.
Club members will meet from 3:15 to 4:30 p.m., in the TMS commons and will also participate in projects that provide service to the school and community. During the first meeting, the group elected officers, who are Olivia Helmandollar, president; Leslie Hamilton, vice president; Caroline Swank, secretary; Christian Fuller, treasurer; Laura Chapman, sixth grade representative; and Elizabeth Woodson, fifth grade representative. The faculty advisors for the club include E?Lisha Gass, Joyce Blattner and Mary Woodson, all of whom are TMS instructors.
The club?s first major project will be to participate with the THS Key Club in the ?Trick or Treat for Unicef? on Thursday. Club members will be canvassing the community that night for pocket change which will be forwarded to Unicef to be used for to provide clean water and sanitation, healthcare, nutrition education and emergency relief to the world?s most vulnerable children.
In addition to Mrs. Helmandollar and Mrs. Woodson, members of the Sponsored Youth Committee of the Trenton Kiwanis Club include Dave Woodson, Mitch Dougan, Lynda Lynch and Leo Fuhr.