Making a Difference in Schools across the World

Published September 15, 2015

In its second year of existence, the Pearre Creek Panthers Care Club is making a huge difference in schools across the world, particularly in Africa.

The club is run with the help of gym teachers Kathy Caudill and Nancy Monroe, but it’s the students who do the real work.

“This club really falls in line with our character education piece and BE NICE,” said Caudill. “We have really tried to do a variety of projects from collecting items like food and winter coats for the needy to having the kids do things like cleaning up our school grounds and singing holiday music at local nursing homes.”

This year, the club partnered with PCES teacher Sarah Roberts to do yet another hands-on activity: make chalkboards for Kenyan students in need. Roberts says Kenyan students are typically given one notebook per year which means chalkboards are very useful.

To date, students at Pearre Creek have made over 300 chalkboards with the help of parent volunteers.

“The students loved making the chalkboards,” said Roberts. “They sanded, primed and painted the boards. This project was so powerful because students at Pearre Creek got to see the things they made in the hands of other students.”

The students agree that this project has been a special one.

“The BE NICE motto means always showing kindness to others,” said PCES fifth grader and Panther Care Club member Nicholas Craig. “The Panther Care Club helps people in our community and now worldwide who might be having a hard time.”

Second grader Ryder Close agrees, saying it’s nice to see other people be happy and have things they’ve never seen before. Those involved say the project has had a huge impact not just in Kenya but here in Williamson County too.

“The whole experience has been overwhelming,” said Roberts. “There is nothing more powerful than watching communities connect for something so big and tangible at the same time. When kids take ownership of ideas and projects, they are unstoppable. Empowering our students for change is the best thing we can do as teachers.”