January 2008
Eleven OCPS elementary and middle schools are participating in the inaugural launch of the Penny Harvest Common Cents Program in Florida. Training was held at the Educational Leadership Center in October. OCPS Penny Harvest schools are: Meadowbrook Middle School, Freedom Middle School, Wolf Lake Middle School, Conway Middle School, Palmetto Elementary School, Waterford Elementary School, Jackson Middle School, Pineloch Elementary School, Sunrise Elementary School, Sunset Park Elementary, and Lakeview Middle School.
Laryn Flikkema, the Florida Alliance for Student Service VISTA Initiative Director, and Joe Follman, Director of Florida Learn and Serve, came to Orlando in October to train the coordinators. Months later, thousands of pennies were harvested, and are on the way to the bank!
The Penny Harvest is an award winning, year-long service-learning program where students collect (harvest) pennies from the community, analyze community needs, and determine how to spend the money to best meet community needs. The students team up with community partners to create and carry out meaningful service learning projects.
If you would like to implement the Penny Harvest in your elementary or middle school for the 2008-2009 school year contactPenny Harvest Florida or Wendy Doromal at doromaw@ocps.net.
Photos: Sunrise Elementary School teacher Patricia LaChance sent these great photos of the students at Sunrise working on their Penny Harvest!
