Fourth- and fifth-grade student senators at Brentwood Elementary School have been skipping recess since last week to make Valentine's Day cards for residents of the nearby Heritage Park senior living community on Fort Wayne's northeast side.
The senators, who are the Latin language magnet school's equivalent of student council members, hope to create 200 cards by early next week, said Marilyn Nolan, the school counselor and its student senate adviser. Plans call for 165 cards to go to Heritage Park residents, and the remaining cards will be passed out to shut-ins.
Nolan hoped the students would be halfway to their card decorating goal after their work Monday.
It hadn't been decided as of Monday whether students would go to Heritage Park to pass out the cards or whether Nolan will drop them off.
This is the third year Brentwood students have worked on a project for Heritage Park residents, Nolan said. The residents also have donated book bags and school supplies to students at Brentwood, which is part of the Fort Wayne Community Schools district.
“It has been a cooperative, community partnership,” Nolan said.
The Valentine's Day cards are one of at least eight service projects the student senate plans to do this school year, Nolan said. If they complete eight projects, the group will be eligible for acceptance as an Indiana Association of Student Councils honor council — which earns them a trip to Indianapolis for a recognition ceremony and going out to eat.
