Students Pay It Forward

By Jere Hough Meteorologist / Feature Reporter

Four churches, six retirement facilities, and twelve other schools, charities, and public service groups have all gotten a helping hand the past few months. You might be surprised to learn whose hands did all that helping.

Published: Thu, April 03, 2008 - 4:24 pm
Last Updated: Thu, April 03, 2008 - 7:55 pm

Jere Hough

A group of middle school students is lugging electronic equipment at a Saturday recycling event. Another group of young teenagers are remulching, planting, and cleaning up at Mobile's Environmental Studies Center on a Monday morning. All the youngsters attend Cranford Burns Middle School where education and community service are combined.
Assistant Principal Brent Ward explains what's going on. "Since the community is helping send our children to school, we're giving back to the community with our time."
Ward started the program last fall as an alternative to three-day suspensions. If the student agreed to volunteer ten hours, the suspension was reduced to one day. He says both the kids and the parents embraced the alternative.
Ward continues, "We've had such positive feedback from the parents, the community, the students, it's taken a life of its own and just rolling along all by itself now."
In fact the program has rolled 'way beyond a suspension alternative.
"We are asking that all of our athletes have ten hours of documented community service in order to even try our for our sports," says Ward. He says the coaches support the idea.
Does everybody have to volunteer?
"They do not have to participate, says Ward. "The great thing about it is students who are not involved in sports or clubs are coming and asking, 'Hey, can we do this? Can we show up?' Of course, they're all welcome to come out and do volunteer hours."
The students apparently take their volunteer work seriously.
"They do an excellent job. You always have your one or two," laughs Ward, "that you have to kind of push along and get them motivated, but a vast majority of them really get involved and and really take a sense of ownership and pride in the work they're doing."
Seventh Grader Erin Anderson says, "Well, I like to help the community and everything, too."
"It helps the community," says student Lane Brunson, "and it's something to look forward to."
Elexis Stallworth smiles and declares, "Glad that we can help them so they do have to work so much"
The 1050 students at the school have logged over 2000 volunteer hours this year...so far. For more information about the Pay It Forward program, you can contact Brent Ward at the school. His phone number is (251) 331-7078.