MILTON — Central School students are working to improve literacy on campus and in surrounding communities. Partnerships with local businesses and organizations have made the effort possible.
“This was a project that began from our literacy leadership team; there were three things that we set out to do,” said Jessica Rowell, the school’s secondary reading coach. “The first thing is to have a little free library to increase community literacy access. The second thing we wanted to do was establish a reading buddy program between our secondary and elementary students. The third thing we wanted to do was to be able to buy quality literature for our elementary library.”
Rowell credited Central’s junior and senior BETA clubs, Student Government Association, Future Farmers of America and students in Keristen Wright’s class. She estimated more than 100 of the school’s 600 students participated in the project, which started in September.
“The pride in our school has grown through this experience. It has been amazing to watch these students take the initiative to create change and solve problems. Some have even found their passion,” Wright said. “One student wants to be a teacher because of her time spent helping elementary classes as a reading buddy.”
Students raised funds through partnerships with Sweet Seasons and Holland Farms at their corn mazes. In addition to having students fundraise through reading stories and face painting, Rowell said each farm set up a collection jar at their facility to support the school. The school plans to continue working with both farms next year for more fundraisers.
The school also partnered with the non-profit organization My Father’s Arrows, donating backpacks full of school supplies and new books to help local foster children. Rowell said the partnership would continue by having students mentor the program’s foster children.
Partnering with the Naval Air Station Whiting Field, the school also recently received assistance from a local military couple, Tim and Christina Moss. During Thanksgiving holiday break, the couple helped restore the school’s outdoor picnic tables. Now the area is considered the Central Opportunities for Outdoor Learning, or COOL, classroom.
In addition to the picnic tables, the COOL classroom has an outdoor whiteboard. Rowell hopes to expand upon the outdoor learning area in the near future.
While one little free library has been placed near the school’s main entrance, Rowell and school principal Sean Twitty hope to add more to the surrounding communities with support from more community partnerships.
“Central serves three communities in Chumuckla, Allentown and Munson,” Twitty said. “We will try to get something in each one of those areas.”
Rowell said the rural communities need little libraries due to lack of a local public library.
Throughout the fundraising, the school also received support from Walmart, Lowes Home Improvement and from the Escambia River Electric Cooperative. Rowell credits students taking the initiative in branching out when it comes to fundraising for an important cause.
“I think it really changed their perspective,” she said. “They are the ones who could see how far this could go and get bigger.”
BETA sponsor Selene Payne agreed.
“The students really became a family of learners and workers,” she said. “Their eyes were opened to the needs that exist in the real world, but they are excited for the future and what they can do for others.”
Several students said the experience changed their point of view.
“I felt honored to be a part of this project. We worked with kids, older people and everyone in between,” 10th-grader Randall Kennington said. “I know there is so much more we can do, and all of us want to continue what we started.”
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: 'Pride in our school has grown'