Presentations to the community and "Service Learning". 

One of the things our executive Director, Douglas Rhodenbaugh, does on an ongoing basis is something we don’t talk enough about. 

Douglas does presentations to groups of young people in central Texas, he calls it “Service Learning”.   “Service Learning” is an in- class program focused on the Character Building aspects that foster courage, charity, and social justice.  

He focuses on Middle Schools but earlier this month the Pencil Project got an invitation from Helen Gurka, the director of religious education at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Chappell Hill, TX, outside of Austin. 

She had found about The Pencil Project from our web site and asked if we could come out and talk to the children in the Sunday classes.

More good news for The Pencil Project.

The Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders comes through for “The Pencil Project.”

 

It is through efforts like this by organizations, schools and private donations that we will be able to ship over 1500 Lbs this summer. [That’s a record.] 

Thanks to the Jeanne Goka, the director and all of the students, facility and staff. You did a great job, we appreciate it.  

The Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders is a unique all-girls public school founded to educate young women and give them the confidence and skills necessary to succeed in college, in their careers, and in their communities.

To learn more about the Young Women's Leadership School, visit www.ywlfoundation.org

Clayton Elementary school comes through [Again] for The Pencil Project 

Here are some pictures from our pick up of supplies gathered by the students at Clayton Elementary school in Austin.

As usual, a teacher is the driving force. It’s Ms. Nancy Hallmark, an art teacher at Clayton.

She became acquainted with Douglas Rhodenbaugh's work in Guatemala when her daughter was a student in Douglas’s class.

Ms. Hallmark has done a great job; she has publicized the Pencil Project inside the school and personally supervised the collection and packing of all the wonderful supplies. She says the students at the school are excited and inspired by the chance to collect school supplies so others can attend school.

She said one student brought in a large bundle of pencils wrapped together with a rubber band announcing that they had been collected off the floors of classrooms all semester.

Thanks again to Ms. Hallmark and all the students at Clayton Elementary.

    Nancy surrounded by all the donations as she packs them up! 

One of Nancy's partners in crime, Rachel Rutledge, a fellow teacher.                       

Update from Jacob Donoghue at Brown University 

[Go Jacob]

Subject: Re: The Pencil Project: more info and follow up
 

Hi,

I am extraordinarily busy now with honors thesis work but wanted to
give everyone a quick update.

Our club, The Brown University Chapter of the Pencil Project was granted Class I status as an official club of Brown University. We will receive funding (a small stipend as a class I club), enough to cover some shipping costs from RI to Texas.

Hopefully we will get Class II or III status someday in the near  future where we are eligible for more funds (we are working on getting
through the process, but simply getting Class I recognition was quite  difficult). We will be in touch soon about sending supplies,
 

Jake