In the past, education was driven by the 3 R’s, reading, writing and arithmetic. Now the focus is on STEM – Science, Engineering, Math, and Technology. But no matter the curriculum focus, for many, the greatest lessons learned in life are not those read in a book or heard in a lecture hall; they are those learned through experience.

For the students in the SEED II class (Science Engineering Enrichment Discovery) at Sidney High School, the lesson was learned through a hands-on capstone project in which they had to build a sustainable model city; creating a community that ensures residents’ lifestyles and community activities would attempt to conserve energy, promote local economy, and strive to approach carbon neutrality.

SEED – Science, Engineering, Enrichment, and Design - is a STEM-modeled learning environment in which science, engineering, technology and mathematics are the foundation for curriculum. The SEED program is a product of 21st Century grant written by the Shelby County Educational Service Center (ESC) and has been in place for four years.  Students involved in this unique, award-winning program represent a combination of regular day school, Opportunity School and SCOLA (Shelby County On-Line Learning Academy) students, and meet for an hour and a half four days a week in the state of the art SEED classroom and lab.

The students are asked to think outside the box about the environment and how people effect the environment by their actions. It gets them thinking beyond just what they are told about the world. Students look at topics in a variety of ways through videos and news stories and then they are asked what they think about it. They then go and research the topic at greater depth.

For the sustainable city project, students were divided into 4 groups of 3 and submitted design proposals for the city. The best design was chosen by the class and construction began at the beginning of March. Prior to construction, the students researched community demographics, zoning, energy efficient housing, environmental security, food production/distribution, government and green industry. A visit from Mark Cundiff, Sidney City Manager and Barb Dulworth, Sidney City Planner was very helpful to the students in designing their city.

Sidney Middle School students recently presented a check to members of the Shelby County Veterans to D.C. Committee to sponsor local veterans on their next trip to Washington D.C. in the fall. Students raised a total of $1474.04, enough to sponsor four veterans to D.C.!

Katy Taylor, 5^th grade teacher, organized the fundraiser in which students were able to donate in a number of ways. As a building, students were able to buy chances to win a bag of candy on each team. They were also able to donate to wear hats on Wednesday and Friday! Teachers in the different grades sold gum passes, candy, suckers, doughnuts, and granola bars. Students were also able to buy cookies and beef jerky before and after school on Friday. All items were donated by teachers and the money raised went into the fundraiser!

“The teachers and staff really need to be commended for their generosity and efforts! Out of their pockets, they supplied all of the treats and goodies the students purchased,” said Taylor. “And of course the amount of money the students donated far exceeded our goal! The entire school really embraced this fundraiser. I couldn’t be more proud!”

In study hall, students were given the opportunity to buy chances to win a large gift basket donated by Wes Branscum, study hall aide. In addition, on Friday, if students in each study hall period donated an average of 50 cents per person, they were given a free period during class! All 8 periods earned a free period by donating! In all, the study hall class periods donated a total of $213.39 for the week!

The fifth grade donated $275.51, and the sixth grade reached their personal goal of sponsoring at least one vet as a class and collected $556.25. The seventh grade collected $303.95, and the eighth grade collected $124.94.

In addition to student collections, Taylor was able to collect another $325 from outside sources, after posting information to family and friends on Facebook. That makes a total of $1799.04 collected for the veterans of Shelby County. Donations were made by Major Michael and Stacy (Bell) Hatfield, Beth Klingesmith, and Jennifer Sharpe, all of Colorado Springs, CO, Kyle Bell of Zanesfield, OH, and Barbara Hatfield, of Belle Center, OH. Another donation was collected from Keith and Lynda Carroll, of East Liberty, OH.

For her fundraising efforts, Major Michael Hatfield presented Taylor with a unit patch of the 100^th Missile Defense Battalion. He stated that it is customary to present a unit patch to those who have supported and/or served our veterans in some way, and thanked her for her support in sending our local veterans to Washington D.C.

Students proudly presented the money raised to representatives of the Shelby County Vets to D.C. Committee, who in return showed their appreciation by presenting the school with two books they give to veterans before the trip as well as large photos of last year’s veterans send-off down Fair Road, which SMS students attend.  Present from the Vets to D.C. Committee were Mike Bennett, Ray and Jody Prater, and Roger Lentz.

The trip, which is planned for Sept. 20-22, is primarily for Vietnam War veterans, but WWII and Korean War veterans, may also apply to go on the trip. It costs $355 to send a veteran on the trip. All costs for veterans are covered through donations and fundraisers. Caregivers and volunteers pay for their trip. Applications for the trip are available at http://shelbycountyvetstodc.blogspot.com/. The application deadline is Aug. 16. For more information about the trip, contact Ray Prater at 638-6326.

Anyone wishing to make a donation to the trip can do so by sending it to Vets to D.C., P.O. Box 408, Anna, OH 45302. Checks should be made out to VFW Post 4239, Vets to D.C. All donations are tax deductible.

The Sidney Education Association held their awards dinner last week at the Moose Lodge. The evening, filled with laughter and tears, celebrated various teachers for accomplishments and achievements throughout the year.

Members honored Kathy Keith, intervention specialist at Northwood Elementary, with Teacher of the Year. The nomination came from Northwood colleague, Teresa Cegledy.

“I have had the distinct pleasure of working collaboratively in an inclusion setting and as a team and building colleague of Kathy Keith,” expressed Cegledy. “Her tireless dedication to her students, their families and the staff can only be described as an inspiration to those around her. She is constantly researching new and varied ways to bring a quality education to any child that may cross her path.”

She continued, “Kathy is an invaluable wealth of knowledge for strategies, interventions, modifications and alternative ways to enhance lessons for learning for every child. Truly her greatest gift is to see the potential and best in every child no matter how challenging they may be when they are frustrated with learning.”

For the average 3rd grade student, daily adversities include multiplication and division, the choice between eating school lunch and packing their own lunch, making it across the monkey bars or being picked last for kickball. Luke Bemus is not your average 3rd grader and what he faces each day is not your typical 3rd grade hardship. Luke was born with Cystic Fibrosis.

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the U.S. and 70,000 worldwide. A defective gene and its protein product cause the body to produce thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections; and obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food. Cystic fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States (70,000 worldwide). A defective gene and its protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections; and obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food.

“It all started because I wasn’t feeling well,” explained Luke as he shared with his classmates just what it is like to be diagnosed with and live having CF.

Though Luke was born with CF, he wasn’t diagnosed until he was in 1st grade. Prior to diagnosis, doctors went back and forth treating Luke for allergies and asthma. Luke and his parents shared a photo of Luke before his diagnosis that showed him to be extremely small for his age, as CF not only creates the mucus, but it prevents nutrients from being absorbed. 

“Even after Luke was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis and was being treated, he still wasn’t gaining weight of growing quite like doctor’s thought he would,” said Luke’s mom Tammy Bemus. “They eventually diagnosed Luke with Celiac disease.”

Celiac disease is a digestive condition triggered by consumption of the protein gluten, which is primarily found in bread, pasta, cookies, pizza crust and many other foods containing wheat, barley or rye.