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DeWitt Middle School eighth-graders present community impact projects — shoe drive, art share, fitness events
Summary
DeWitt Middle School students described year-long health education projects that combined advocacy, service and hands-on events; projects included a shoe drive that collected roughly 800 pairs and a half-court fundraiser that supported a local scholarship fund.
DeWitt Middle School teacher Heidi Fovita presented examples of eighth-grade Impact Projects completed through an extended health-education curriculum. The project-based units ask students to "use my interests and strengths to advocate for a health-related topic and make the world a better place," according to Fovita.
Students described a range of projects carried out this year and in recent years: a Just Dance exercise event at Herbison Woods for younger students, volunteering at Ronald McDonald House to prepare meals, a shoe drive coordinated with Footprints of Michigan and a half-court-shot fundraiser at middle-school basketball games to raise money for the DeWitt Community Ed scholarship fund.
The shoe drive was a prominent example. Students said their original goal was 500 pairs; when they posted to a community Facebook page donations surged and they collected "800 and, like, 16" pairs, which they delivered to the Footprints of Michigan collection truck (students referred to it as the “Soul Train”). One student involved in the half-court fundraiser said the group raised "over $200" for the scholarship fund.
Fovita and district staff presented certificates and plaques for student volunteers and said many projects involve coordination with local elementary schools and community partners. Fovita emphasized that the extended trimester-based health curriculum gives students time to plan, contact community partners, and follow through on outreach and events.
Ending: The board acknowledged the students and Fovita presented awards; the teacher said project materials and volunteer recognition will be distributed at school and thanked community partners for support.
