This Valentine’s Day, students at Creekside shared the love with Johnson County’s less fortunate.
Students at all grade levels filed into the gymnasium Friday, filling more than 600 sealable bags with water bottles, snacks, toiletries, socks and greeting cards. On the greeting cards, they wrote encouraging messages. Those who couldn’t think of the right words to say drew hearts on the cards instead.
The event, during which students fill ‘blessing bags,’ is in its third year at Creekside. The bags go to local churches, elementary schools, Michelle’s Little Free Pantry and KIC-IT, an organization that helps the county’s homeless youth, said Alysha Sherry, the school’s physical education teacher.
“I think it’s important to teach kids to be empathetic,” Sherry said. “Our counselors do lessons on empathy and that piggybacks on what they talk about. Given the amount of homelessness in Johnson County, the project helps kids give back and not always think about themselves, but think of others.”
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Students, local businesses and generous individuals donated items to the school starting in early January. Sherry will help distribute the bags to those in need this week, she said.
The Blessing Bags are an important way for students to realize there are people who are less fortunate than themselves, fourth grader Amelia Oats said.
“Some people in our community are in need of help and everybody in our school gets to come in here and give them stuff they need to stay healthy,” Oats said.
The event gives students an opportunity to give back to the community, second grader Madi Sherry said.
“It’s so we can give back to the people who don’t have anything right now and who need some things,” Madi Sherry said. “We can give back to people on Valentine’s Day.”
For students who don’t realize how well off they are compared to people who struggle to eat on a consistent basis, this event provides a reality check, said Shannon Peckinpaugh, a STEM teacher at Creekside.
“I think a lot of kids growing up don’t understand they have excess,” Peckinpaugh said. “They don’t understand there are people out there (who) have nothing. This gives them empathy to realize not everyone is like you; some people need extra help.”
