May 9, 2019 -- Leaders are popping up all over the Cleveland Heights-University Heights schools. Almost every building in the district has recently launched a Kiwanis of the Heights Student Leadership Program. These groups of children and at least one adult design and implement service projects to improve their schools, community or society while also building future leaders.
Heights Middle School students are planning to paint murals to beautify their buildings when they return to newly renovated Roxboro and Monticello in the fall. At Heights High, students are collecting toiletries to deliver to the Norma Herr Women’s Shelter. At Roxboro Elementary, students instituted a Refreshing Recess project, encouraging students to make new friends and try out new activities during recess.
Several schools are focusing on Earth Day or environmental projects. Boulevard is beautifying their campus; Noble learned how to make “upcycled” art of out trash; Heights High is planting a garden at Delisle; and Fairfax is launching a recycling program.
Both Boulevard and Oxford’s Student Leadership Programs led their schools’ fundraising for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through Pasta for Pennies, raising nearly $3,000 between the two buildings. Gearity also ran a successful food drive, collecting and donating 490 pounds of food to the Cleveland Food Bank.
While the programs got off to a later than expected start this year, students and teachers in all these buildings have brainstormed tons of ideas and are excited for next fall when they can hit the ground running as Kiwanis Kids.
