Sharing their time and talents, students at St. John are reaching out to the community and beyond.
Whether it’s making thank you cards for veterans or raising funds for missions, community service is an important part of the curriculum at the school.
“What Christ has done for us should move our hearts to share His love with the world around us,” said middle school teacher and assistant Interim Principal John Breitwisch. “We are preparing children to be leaders in the world from the Christian perspective.”
During Lutheran Schools Week, students will be making door hangers to distribute to neighbors of the church and school. The hangers will serve as a thank you card and also welcome them to participate in worship services and school activities.
“As part of Lutheran Schools Week we will be canvassing the neighborhood and hanging door hangers to thank people for their support of the school and welcoming them,” said Breitwisch, who teaches history, religion and science at the school.
Breitwisch’s students help serve the Lenten and Advent soup and sandwich suppers at the church. They also volunteer to run lights and sound and do food preparation for the annual school musical.
Throughout the year, the entire school collects food for the Merrill Food Pantry and has designated chapel offerings for the Gbarnga Mission School in Liberia.
Each fall, St. John students assist with a leaf raking project and fall clean-up day for elderly residents from the church and surrounding community.
“We raked leaves at houses and we sent out cards at Easter and Christmas time for the elderly,” said eighth grader Morgan Wardall.
Wardall participated in the leaf raking project with her Chapel Family, a group of multi age members of the church who come together for a common cause.
“Doing that kind of service helps people in need,” said St. John Mothers’ Club president Colleen Skoviera. “They learn to do a nice deed for others and not expect anything in return. They learn to help people and that’s something special.”
As part of the Mothers’ Club at St. John, Skoviera helps raise funds for community organizations such as the Merrill Concert Association. Funds are raised through various events like the annual fall bazaar and spring carnival. The Mothers’ Club also hosts the annual Merrill High School Football and Volleyball Banquets each year.
“St. John Mothers’ Club hosts the high school football and volleyball sports banquets every year,” said Skoviera, who has two daughters attending St. John. “That’s something we do outside of St. John for the community.”
Earlier in the school year, the students participated in Hats for Cancer which raised money for a former student with cancer. Each Friday for a month, students who made a donation to the fundraiser were able to wear a hat for the day.
“It’s the idea of helping others and putting others needs before your own,” said Kay Klug, a teacher at the school for more than 30 years. “They are learning that there are other people out there who need our help and that they can make a difference in somebody’s life. It’s part of who we are as a school to help people.”
Klug is responsible for organizing an annual Veterans Day program each November at the school to honor area veterans. More than 40 veterans from the congregation and community are in attendance each year. The school sponsors a luncheon for the veterans and their families prior to the program. Students participate in the program by singing patriotic songs, decorating the gym and making thank you cards for those being honored.
“We have had a really good turn out,” Klug said. “Veterans are honored from the congregation and the community and not just from the school every year.”
The program includes a flag presentation by the VFW, the playing of taps and speakers from the military. Winners of the Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest from St. John also read their entries.
“The program makes it much more personal for the kids,” Klug said. “It has raised awareness about the commitment these people have made.”
Proceeds from a bake sale and frozen food sale at the school are being used to sponsor Korean War veteran Roger Hulke in the Never Forgotten Honor Flight Program. Hulke is the great grandfather of St. John students Abe and Eve Akey.
“It’s really important for the kids to learn about patriotism and to appreciate the veterans in our congregation and community,” Klug said. “Everything we have in this country is based on their sacrifices.”