School Partnership Wins Awards

In the last month, the Public & School Partnership has been involved in two wins and two cash prizes. Along the way, volunteers have enriched their communities through service and leadership.

Bates Elementary food and winter clothing drive provides donations for community, cash prize for the school

Monique Marsh, the Public & School Partnership’s VISTA member at Bates Elementary School in North Ogden, acting as a Peer Leader at the elementary, collected over 8,000 items, including non-perishable food, coats, boots, gloves, and hats for donation to the local food bank. Besst Realty Group in North Ogden sponsors an annual food and garment drive to support the local food bank in Weber County. The company offers cash prizes for the schools who generate the most donations. Besst’s goal this year was to collect $100,000 in food and garments. Bates Elementary came in 4th place in the entire district, and will receive a $1,500 cash award for the school to use. The Peer Leaders consisting of 5th and 6th graders along with Jill Ramage, a school counselor, and Monique Marsh, VISTA member, coordinated the food and clothing drive. Jill and Monique led the student volunteers in counting all of the items, which was quite a feat as there were a lot of items to count! Monique said, “Every morning, as children and parents came to drop off their items to donate I couldn't help but overhear the excitement in the children's voices when they would see the bins overflowing in the hallway. One day it was even difficult to get through the hall due to all the donations. The peer leaders had to work quickly to get them sorted and out of the way. The students, staff, and parents caught the vision of helping our community! Thanks, Bates, for all the support!”

Public & School Partnership wins $4000 in Service Year Alliance Best Practice contest

The Service Year Alliance is an organization that advocates a year of service in young lives, as a means to transform both communities and those who serve. It sponsors a competition among organizations that offer a service year, in order to highlight best practices and help document and duplicate their successes. Winning organizations had a chance to recieve $2000. The Public & School Partnership at Utah State University won $4000 in multiple entries.

The Public & School Partnership operates through a AmeriCorps VISTA grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service. It is located in the Center for Persons with Disabilities at Utah State University. If you would like more information about the Public & School Partnership’s AmeriCorps VISTA project, contact the CPD.