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By JENNIFER MOONSONG
Glasgow News 1
This school year the Beta students of Highland Elementary have been on a voyage. A voyage to discover blessings, extend blessings and be good stewards of the community in which they reside.
Ava Wilson stocking the blessing box.
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“We took the word blessing and we ran with it,” said Rene Thompson, Beta sponsor.
“Our major theme this year through all of Beta was Life’s Voyage. We wanted to bless our community through life’s voyage,” said Melissa Horn, Beta Sponsor.
The most recent community service oriented task completed just this month was a blessing box to serve the school district.
“Our school district did not have blessing box located within the district, so this could be feeding and serving children from this school,” Horn said.
Izzy Taylor bestowing the box with some blessings for the community.
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The idea for the project that came to completion in early 2024 took hold last August. It required a lot of help from local families and the community at large. For example, Lessenberry Do It Center donated materials, as did Lowe’s. Beta parents built and painted the box, and donations of paint and shingles from Beta families brought the project to fruition.
Like all of this year’s community service efforts, the children enjoyed it immensely.
“I love all of our Beta adventures, but my favorite and probably the most beneficial for everyone in the community has been the blessing box, and it has helped a bunch of people in need,” said almost 11 year old Izzy Taylor. She added that it left her full of pride for her school and fellow Beta members.
Fourth Grader Ava Wilson feels similarly. She takes pride in her family’s involvement as well.
“My Dad, Dan Wilson, built the box,” she said.
Dan Wilson built the box from plans located by Beta.
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Although the box was essentially constructed by Beta parent Dan Wilson, Wilson delivered the unpainted box in parts and allowed students to reassemble it with screwdrivers.
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Bella Uptegraff’s parents ,Michael and Jessica, painted the box.
“I personally love Beta because we get involved with the community and help people in need,” Uptegraff said.
Each of the students resonate with different completed projects, and have high hopes for future projects that are community oriented and designed to help others.
“My favorite was probably for the eastern Kentucky flood. We got to make cards and gather donations. It was something nice to do for them,” Uptegraff said.
For Ava Wilson, helping the local elderly took the cake.
“I really like going to the nursing home and singing to some people. We sang Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer up and down the halls, and it was awesome,” she said.
As for the future, plans are already in motion. Future projects will involve helping more people, the planet and animals.
“I hope we get to go to local parks to pick up litter,” Uptegraff said.
Izzy Taylor would like to focus on helping furry friends.
“I love animals. I’m a vegetarian and I’ve grown up at the animal shelter. They are doubled up on animals who need help and donations and would mean a lot,” Taylor said.
Other past projects this school year include the assembling of 550 birthday boxes with all of the trimmings to make birthday cakes.
“Some of the kids got to hand them out. We also got to wrap gifts to take to local nursing homes,” Horn said.
The Beta Blessing Box has been placed by First Calvary Church on Columbia Avenue. Donations from the Family Resource Center first filled the box. People are welcome to fill the box and take item as needed.
“I was surprised by how fast the box got empty, and how many people need food. It is sad. I’m glad we made it,” Taylor said.
As for the sponsors, they are also reaping good things from the projects designed to bless others.
“We hope they realize helping people is a lifelong voyage, something we do at all ages. We hope it sticks with them,” Thompson said.
To learn more about what the cool kids of HES are up to, visit their Facebook page by clicking here.
Many Beta students have filled the box with goodies since it was installed.
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