Several Wisconsin middle school student groups will have a unique opportunity to make their mark on their communities after being awarded Character Playbook Community Impact Grants from the Green Bay Packers.
Student groups, under the guidance of a Wisconsin school or nonprofit organization, were invited this fall to develop a service project to help their school, neighborhood or surrounding community. After the project proposals were submitted and reviewed, 10 group project ideas were selected to receive a grant.
Groups selected will receive grant awards up to $500 through funds from the NFL Volunteerism Grant to help finance implementation of the project. The projects receiving support include:
- Students with the Brillion Middle School Kindness Club will work on several projects to spread kindness in their community, including making blankets for deployed U.S. Army troops and engaging in activities with local assisted living residents.
- To bring the school community together, the Morning Leadership Group at St. Mary Catholic Middle School in Neenah will host a "Cardboard Carnival" for the district's elementary school students. The group will plan, build and operate carnival games made out of cardboard.
- Fontana School Hope Squad members will host a community wide "5K Walk for Wellness" to raise awareness for suicide prevention, promote mental health education and connect participants with local resources.
- PowerHouse Christian School students will build a "little library" outside of their building for community members to enjoy. Students will also host a book drive to fill the library.
- Slinger Middle School student council members will spearhead a district wide tab drive to raise money for Ronald McDonald House Charities.
- To improve dignity and boost self-esteem within their community, eighth graders at 21st Century Preparatory School in Racine will assemble and distribute 500 hygiene kits filled with basic personal care items.
- The Rib Lake Middle School Leadership Group will make a variety of accessible sporting equipment available at a community park, offering residents and visitors the opportunity to spend time together while getting active.
- Students at T.J. Walker Middle School in Sturgeon Bay will enhance the school's "Clipper Closet" by building shelves and racks to store items while restocking personal hygiene products, school supplies and clothing.
- Medford Area Middle School students will distribute goody bags filled with personal items and tabletop games to local assisted living and dementia care centers as part of their project called "Games and Goodies for the Greatest Generation."
- To ensure all learners' basic hygiene needs are being met, students at Frances Starms Discovery Learning Center in Milwaukee will put together hygiene bags for fellow students in need.
Each group selected has a project supervisor who will help guide the students in their project and to serve as the communication liaison with the Packers. The projects should be complete by the end of the school year.
