SEES Students Travel To Potter Children's Home

The South Edmonson Elementary Leadership Team visited Potter Children's Home on Tuesday evening, March 24th for the team's annual service-learning project. A few weeks back, SEES students reached out to a number of children from the home, writing them letters and extending a hand of friendship. 

The students met up with the children they'd been corresponding with for a fun play date at one of the home's partnering facilities. After a lengthy session of dodgeball, jumprope, basketball, cartwheels, and more, the team presented the kids with grab bags filled with candy, toys, and stickers. 

Mrs. Penny Tuttle, Guidance Counselor and group sponsor, pointed out the mission of the leadership team. "The main goal of having a school leadership team is to promote self-directed service learning and for students to become lifelong servant leaders," she said. " Through our activities and events, we hope that students will realize that leadership is not about us as an individual, but about those whom we are serving.  We want them, and all of the students at South Edmonson, to give unselfishly, put others first, and believe the whole is better than the sum of its parts."

Tuttle said South Edmonson’s Student Leadership Team was positively and deeply impacted by last night’s trip to Potter Children’s Home.  She noted that several students were talking with their “adopted” child about further communication and play dates. She also added that the project increased the self-confidence of the students and promoted teamwork, initiative, creativity, and communication skills of the future leaders.  She said that it also allowed them to connect with a culturally diverse peer group and to see through the eyes of those who are a little less fortunate than themselves.

She discussed how special the event was for both the students and the Potter's children. "I feel that our Student Leadership Team made a difference for the children of Potter’s tonight.  The children were very receptive and eager to play with our students, and when it came time for us to present them with their goody bags, Potter’s children could not believe that they got to keep everything in their bag.  There were lots of smiles, hugs, and fist-bumps.  South’s students didn’t want to leave and Potter’s children wanted us to stay.  It was a special event that I think our students, and hopefully their’s, will always remember."

Tuttle gave credit to the students that make up SEES Leadership Team. "The students on this year’s team are an amazing group of giggly, big-hearted girls that want others to feel special, and will do whatever it takes to make that happen.  They always go above and beyond of what is asked on them, and they continually amaze me with their many accomplishments."

Darren Doyle,
Story and Photos