By: Janice Denham

Monday, March 9, 2009
           

More than 800 students of the Special School District of St. Louis County participated in CHOICES 4-H Achievement Days, the third year the school district has partnered with University of Missouri Extension and Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri.

The celebration brings them together for hands-on activities that reinforce 4-H lessons throughout the year in character development, literacy and anti-violence education.

Classes came from 13 school districts and five SSD schools. Although often known as a rural program, 4-H changes with the students.

JANICE DENHAM PHOTOS/ Sappington School student Sean Mulhall puts together a first-aid kit with Joe Cordeal of Lake St. Louis, volunteer with the American Red Cross.

"It meets children where they are, so whatever that structure looks like, that's what we want it to be.," said Diana Garcia, urban youth specialist with University of Missouri Extension.

For 1,150 students in the Special School District, it's an increasingly popular in-school program. Instruction is designed by the University of Missouri to use on its own or incorporated into other materials in 125 district classrooms. 4-H programs are the basis, with Show-Me Standards and special needs requirements added.

At an orientation each year, teachers are offered new material, but they also can draw from previous topics. The morning event last week, which took place at the North County Recreation Complex Monday and Tuesday, at Grant Pavilion in Jefferson Barracks County Park Thursday and Friday, was a tribute to the year's study tasks.

"When we are doing our planning, it makes more sense to try to collaborate as much as possible," Garcia said.

The Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri contribute PAVE (Project Anti-Violence Education) to the overall program.

Children rotated through 18 activities at achievement days. At one table they made key chains with "good deed" beads, led by Julie Schloss, Maggie Roach and Katie Zufall of the Girl Scouts. They could move a green bead for not bullying, purple when they didn't gossip, white for promoting peace in school and pink when they befriended someone being bullied.

They also made first-aid kits with representatives and volunteers of the American Red Cross. They found out how much fat they eat in various foods with Michelle Mitchell of Normandy, who offers fitness and nutrition tips from St. Louis Children's Hospital throughout the community.

Teachers look forward to the annual event. Debbie Dirisio, a teacher at Parkway West Middle School, has attended all three years.

"This is absolutely a magical celebration of our curriculum," she said. "You see children of all ages, all abilities. We come together and celebrated our differentiated learning."

It is an opportunity, Dirisio pointed out, for students to have fun learning, as well as see their assistant or aide in a new role beyond classroom educator.

It was the first time at achievement days for Jennifer Pranger, who has a self-contained classroom at Point Elementary School. She has used ideas about the environment, community and kindness that fit efforts and programs at her school in the Mehlville School District.

Last year's focus was on gardening and theater. In 2006-07, the program emphasized foods and aerospace.

Charlotte Nations, character education facilitator of the Special School District, said three years of collaboration has enriched children in the school district's effort to add a new effort in character education.

"Since we are able to use direct instruction, we can imbed all the traits and goals at one time," she said.

Alison Copeland of Columbia, state 4-H youth development specialist, said the situation is unique in serving a single large school district. She came with camera and laminating machine to take photos of the children, so each could have his or her own for healthy self-esteem.

Garcia and Nations noted that the many volunteers who lead activities and aid students make achievement days successful.

Among the many from North and South County Technical Schools was Mike Cummings of Eureka.

He said, "It's fun to see them learning. And I learn, too."

For its dedication to the project, Missouri 4-H Youth Development received a Special Ambassador Award, one of two volunteer awards given to groups by the SSD at a banquet last week.