The King and Queen of UES
On June 6, Urbana Elementary School (UES) honored two beloved staff members, who retired at the end of the school year, as “King and Queen for the Day.” Long-time custodian “Mr. Ray” Goodsell is “loved by our students, staff and parents,” said Principal Jan Hollenbeck, “and he loves his kids and would do anything to keep their school a place to be proud of.”
Also honored was office secretary “Queen” Margaret Schuch.
“Mrs. Schuch greeted us each and every morning with a big smile,” said Hollenbeck. “Whether clutching an umbrella, wearing a thick parka or, best case, enjoying a beautiful sunny morning, she is truly a royal gem. Mr. Ray and Mrs. Schuch wore many crowns and will be very missed!”
Nothing But Nets
Rebecca Hageman and her fifth grade class at Centerville Elementary School raised more than $1,000 during the past school year for the Nothing But Nets campaign. Nothing But Nets is a global, grassroots campaign that raises awareness and funding to fight malaria, a leading cause of death among children in Africa. For each $10 donation, the organization provides one malaria bed net for an impoverished family.
Hageman first became involved with the program in 2008 when she and her class read an article about the children’s’ plight and wanted to help. They brainstormed fundraising ideas and worked most of the year to donate to the cause. In 2011, Hageman’s students read an article on her wall about their efforts and wanted to help.
“They had so much interest in this idea,” said Hageman. So once again the class enlisted the help of “Hageman’s Helpers.”
“Since the first day of school each year,” Hageman said, “I like to talk about the golden rule, which I try to infuse into my everyday teaching. I told the class it had to be our project, and we came up with quite a list of ideas for fundraising!”
In May, some students had a lemonade stand to raise money, and many asked family members and friends for donations. “I had other students donating their own allowances for the cause,” said Hageman.
Eleven-year-old Danielle Shaffer said, “It’s not a lot to think just $10 for one net, and someone from the United States puts this net up for the people in Africa.”
Shaffer, who will go to Urbana Middle School next school year, said she really liked that the program “can bring love and even more joy into the world!”
The Nothing but Nets program began in 2006, when former Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly wrote an article about malaria and challenged each of his readers to donate at least $10 to send anti-malaria bed nets to families Africa. The goal is to help the United Nations achieve the goal of ending malaria deaths by 2015.
Hageman hopes to continue the program each year but said, “The project only works if the children take the reigns and ‘drive’ it.”
So far, Hageman said the program has been a big success. “The students were educated about something so much bigger than themselves,” she said, “so much bigger than Urbana! I am amazed at the interest and selflessness this type of project brings out in people … in children.”
For more information about the Nothing But Nets program, visit www.nothingbutnets.net.
Local Educator Awarded International Fellowship
Urbana Middle School’s Ellen Georgi was awarded a 2012 Keizai Koho Center Teacher Fellowship to travel and study in Japan from July 1 – 13. Fellows will have the opportunity to learn about the Japanese economy, various businesses, and contemporary Japanese society, as well as, participate in roundtable discussions with educators and business leaders during a 10-day stay in Japan.
Highlights of the summer’s events include visits to Japanese schools, major companies and industrial facilities. In addition, home-stay and sightseeing excursions are planned to allow the fellows to learn about Japanese culture and society.
The Keizai Koho Center (KKC) is the independent, nonprofit organization affiliated with Keidanren (Japan Business Federation). Its mission has been to promote a better understanding of Japan’s economy and society, both in Japan and abroad through a variety of programs.
For more information about the 2012 KKC Fellowship, contact Katsuko Shellhammer at kkcfellowship@us-japan.org.