- State College Area School District
- State College Area School District
Easterly Parkway Helping Hands Fair
Of all the things Easterly Parkway third-grader Louis Kauffman made at his school’s Helping Hands Fair, one stuck out by sticking to him.
Pine cone bird feeders slathered with glue ended up being his personal highlight of the annual evening devoted to creative approaches toward helping local organizations.
“Because I got my hands all messy,” Kauffman said. “That’s my favorite part. I like getting my hands messy.”
Hands-on activities abounded at the Feb. 1 fair, one of Easterly Parkway’s signature events for the 10th year. In the all-purpose room and throughout the school, 14 stations offered chances for students and their families to be artistic and philanthropic at the same time.
“It’s nice what we do for the community, but it’s a nicer community builder for the school,” Easterly Parkway teacher Deanna Washell said.
Washell was overseeing a table for making heart designs using marbles rolled through paint. Children chose a recipient from a winsome collection of faces: “Jax,” “Meatball, “Jubilee,” or other Centre County PAWS shelter cats and dogs displayed in a photo gallery.
“I’d like Nikki to have mine,” said Easterly third-grader Peter Carlson, enamored with a large-eyed tabby.
Elsewhere, among other activities, students made pillows for Mount Nittany Medical Center patients, valentines for Meals on Wheels clients, bookmarks and paper flowers for Hearthside Rehabilitation and Nursing Center residents, candy bags for American Red Cross blood donors, and letters for THON families. Students also could sign up to read to PAWS shelter animals. Proceeds from a lemonade and bake sale stands went to the Centre County Women’s Resource Center.
“Basically, the fair is an opportunity for our students to give back to the community, an opportunity for them to provide something for other people,” Easterly Parkway Principal Mike Maclay said. “It’s an opportunity to give back in a very tangible way that’s not dollars.”
Teacher Andrea de Carle said the school’s faculty pulls together to come up with suitable activities and stage the fair.
“It’s a real balance,” she said. “We have to find things that the kids can be successful at, and that are purposeful and meaningful.”
Easterly first-grader Jenny Qiao sampled several of this year’s activities, including the tables for paper flowers, pillows and cards. The common thread was her favorite part of the fair: “Helping people.”
Whatever the activity, in Maclay’s eyes, the fair always makes something of great value: a lasting impression.
“I think students connect service with fun,” he said. “It sticks.”
By Chris Rosenblum
Photos by Nabil K. Mark