Student Council members at Eisenhower Elementary care about their community, both school and town.
Representatives from the group of 12 third, fourth, and fifth graders will share their activities with the Ottumwa Board of Education at tonight’s school board meeting. Their list of activities is impressive, including Homecoming, Red Cross Hurricane Relief, Ike Dash, Haunted Castle, can food drive, Heartland Humane supply drive, and various spirit days. And that is just in the first few months of school.
“All our efforts are for our school and community,” said Sylvie Monaghan, a fifth grade Student Council member. They sell smencils (scented pencils) to sponsor school events and in October sponsored sugar-free Fridays. Students who brought a $1 to school could chew sugar-free gum during the school day. They raised over $300 and will donate those funds to the Red Cross for hurricane relief efforts. “There were so many people in need,” said Monaghan. “We couldn’t go down there and help so the next best thing was to raise money.”
Student Council hosts spirit days each month to promote school pride. In November, it was Super Hero Day. In December, the will host a Sweater Day on December 21. While the sweaters don’t have to be ugly, they know of one staffer who will wear his ugliest sweater with corduroy pants.
The group will also be ringing bells for the Salvation Army on Friday, December 7 at North Hy-Vee. “We want to help our community and make our school a better place,” said Riayn VanVeen, another fifth grader. “Sometimes people don’t have what they need.”