“Just make a mark and see where it takes you.”
Those were words students at Hammond Hill Elementary focused on during the past week through the book “The Dot.”
“They thought about what do they want to leave behind about themselves – do they want to be kind, loving, friendly?” school counselor Cathy Martin said as she drew a mural depicting the book on the walls of the school Saturday morning.
Martin and other teachers, students, parents and community members across Aiken County had an opportunity to leave their mark on their schools during the third annual Day of Caring, a day set aside to beautify school grounds.
Aiken County Public School District representatives expected slightly over 700 volunteers to attend based on online registration, but Hammond Hill Principal Eric Jeffcoat said many of the volunteers at his school did not originally sign up.
It allows the community to have ownership in the school and be a part of improving the look of the school, the feel of the school,” Jeffcoat said. “When you take care of it and you’ve cleaned it and you’ve organized it, it gives a sense of pride and value.”
Hammond Hill parent Amanda McKee and her two children worked together cleaning the courtyard.
“I think it teaches them some lessons about giving back to the community and sacrificing their sleep and and giving up their time to do something for someone else,” she said.
Paul Knox Middle, the principal student advisory committee opted for a different form of beautification, with painting canvases to be displayed inside the schools. Some students opted to freestyle paint or use a model provided by Principal Jason Holt to illustrate attributes that the school encourages and teaches.
Eighth-grader Sage Mahon wanted to paint to help make the hallways pop out and make it less bland, she said. She painted a quote to inspire her fellow students – “A day without laughter is a day wasted.” Sixth-grader Dakota Sitton decided to paint the school’s mascot, the Patriot.
Read the full article printed in The Augusta Chronicle HERE