BY BRANDY TEMPLETON

Oakwood IB Middle School students are learning how to make a difference in their community.

Each grade level put service into action on Wednesday by welcoming community partners into their school. Service as action is a major focus of the IB curriculum.

In the past, Oakwood students were required to complete 15 hours of community service independently. They could choose where, when, and how.

Students now have a new way to complete community service hours. The new model focuses on bringing partners into the school, and learning from them as the students complete their hours together.

Sixth Grade

Sixth-graders learned how Fifth Street Ministries serves the community. The students have focused on the topic of food insecurity and food deserts this school year. They recently held a canned food drive for Yokefellow and Iredell Christian Ministries.

Seventh Grade

Seventh-graders worked on five different projects on Wednesday.

Scott Stevenson, with Ye Olde Headstone, visited Mr. Bush’s class. He’s been working with the students to help preserve headstones at Fourth Creek Cemetery.

Special Olympics participants worked with Mrs. Sarrafi’s students to prepare for their games at Statesville High School on April 17.

Mr. Caudle’s class focused on ways to bring mental health awareness to the community.

Mr. Coey’s class worked with Iredell’s Master Gardener Volunteer Association to plant native pollinators in the garden near Oakwood’s entrance. The class plans to plant purple and white plants to honor the school’s colors.

Ms. Alford and Ms. Kasprzak’s classes also focused on outside beautification by working with Statesville Parks and Recreation and Iredell Soil and Water Conservation. The groups are working on the greenway near the school.

Finally, Ms. Smith’s and Ms. Wilson’s classes focused on children’s animal therapy. The two classes are preparing projects to support Equuvation at Rocky Creek Ranch. They will be painting, planting, placing signs, and making “enrichment “ for the animals there.

Eighth Grade

Eighth-graders went out into the community and worked on projects at the school also.

The ElderCenter Inc. joined students in the library to make flower collages, while other students worked on signs and boxes for a book drive to support The Boys & Girls Club of the Piedmont.

Non-profit Insomniacs Inc. helped other eighth-graders record videos to prepare new middle school students and to create podcasts on current relevant topics.

Old T-shirts were donated by Yokefellow to recycle into dog toys for Iredell County Animal Services, and affirmation cards were made to give to Rainbow Kidz campers this summer.

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