KNEA-SP hosts Jennie Barker clean up

The sound of a hammer against a steel stake, which will hold new soccer goals in place, echoed across the playground at  Jennie Barker Elementary School as volunteers worked on the KNEA-SP sponsored clean up. The sound of steel brushes scraped through the old rusty paint of the swings, slides and fire truck where kids pretend to be firemen. The old equipment seemed to take on new life with every stroke made.

The volunteers were from various organizations such as PTK, HALO, Art club, members of psychology classes, as well as members of the community.

There was no one who wasn't busy; every single volunteer had something to do. Some were repainting the map of the United States on the basketball court, others were brushing away the rusted painting off the playground, replacing goalie nets, and doing gardening.

"I'm helping to paint the United States at Jenny Barker," Samantha Ricard, Holcomb, Kan., said, "I feel pretty good right now, I really like doing community service and getting finished with it and being able to say I helped make a difference."

The main thing that the group wanted to accomplish that day were painting and cleaning up the place.

"Painting is one big part of this project," Tammy Hutchinson, KNEA advisor, said, "We had planned just to do some part of the painting project but the art club and the painting crew had just painted away and they have accomplished a lot."

The NEA Student Program's CLASS Grant Program is designed to build practical and professional experience for students who plan to become educators.

"We wanted to do something significant that would make a difference for the children, and we also wanted to do something that would support the learning process," said Dustin Hopkins, Scott City, Kan., president of KNEA-SP.

The KNEA outreach program is now getting support from local organizations, business and the unified school district plus the support of parents.