Make a Difference Day: Success!!

On Make a Difference Day the kindergarten class at Pikes Peak Prep cleaned up the school yard. The second grade and sixth grade class decided to venture out and clean up their community. Students were equipped with safety gloves as they went on a “Litter Walk” and picked up trash along sidewalks and in parks near the school. The fifth grade class went door to door to collect used soda cans. While collecting cans, the students provided information about the importance of recycling and explained how to recycle to local residents. The cans were cashed in and the money raised from the can collection was donated to the Cancer Society.

The Pikes Peak Prep third, fourth and eighth grade classes painted a large wall just south of the school with geometric shapes. They activity was supervised by the staff and our high school students. This project provided an opportunity for students to brighten up the neighborhood around the school. The El Paso County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility provided some paint for the project.

The ninth grade class spent their day trying to make a difference in the lives of the residents of Medallion Health Center/Retirement Community and Terrace Gardens Healthcare Center. This class spent the morning with the residents of Medallion in several capacities. Some students sittercised while others took a dip in the pool with independent residents and used their art skills. At Coffee Time, the entire class showed their musical talents by performing several vocal and instrumental tunes for the residents.

The afternoon was spent with the residents of Terrace Gardens. When the ninth grade class arrived it was snack time and the residents enjoyed their popcorn! One of the residents spoke only Spanish and it was a pleasure to hear one of the Pikes Peak Prep students speak in their language about the day’s events. It appeared that the students had a level of comfort around the older generation as one young man (98 years) had taken time to instruct one of our students on the ins and outs of the business world. To witness this conversation was just short of amazing!

In the end as one student put it, "I think we made a difference today, don’t you?"