Eau Claire (WQOW) - Local
students are taking volunteering to the next level. Wildlands School in Augusta is participating
in a nationwide effort, 26 Acts of Kindness.
Each act is in memory of those killed in the Sandy Hook shooting.
Thursday, students volunteered at the Community Table in Eau Claire. Liz Seubert, a teacher at Wildlands School in Augusta, says, "Working
at the Community Table is our 12th act out of the 26. Shortly after the school
shooting in Connecticut, I challenged our students to come up with 26 acts of
kindness that we could do in remembrance of all of those kids."
Wildlands Sophomore, Noah Plewa, says,
"I was in school when I saw it on the TV and I was just kind of in shock for at
least a day or two before I really realized what had happened and how horrible
it was."
Each
act is in memory of those killed in the shooting. All
26 acts of kindness, including serving and preparing food at the Community
Table, have been organized by the students.
Seubert says,"Normally I am the one that's in charge of organizing
all of them, but this year with the 26 Acts and challenging the students, I
have them organize the activities, plan and do all of the calling and get all
of the students to volunteer and from there they take the lead and so they
really have that sense of ownership."
The
students have also shoveled driveways, baked cookies for the community, and put
together care packages for soldiers in Afghanistan. "Actually last weekend I did the Polar Plunge with a couple of my
friends for the school," says Felicia Deerling, a Freshman at Wildlands.
"We've also just had people call and say, I saw your bus outside
of my driveway, thank you so much for shoveling. So the response has been
super positive. I think the biggest lesson we learned from the tragedy was just
building a sense of community at our school," says Seubert.
In
years past, the students have participated in about 12 service projects a
year. WQOW News 18 asked if they'll be able to
make it to 26. "We will. I'm going to make it happen," laughed Seubert.
The
students are in the middle of organizing other projects and plan to complete
all 26 by the end of the school year.
