FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 12, 2016

For More Information:
Glenville State College
Public Relations Department
(304) 462-4115

GLENVILLE, WV - As a component of the Science 204 Life Sciences for Elementary Education Majors course at Glenville State College, several students have completed community service projects to benefit students at area elementary schools.

Hannah Mick, Bethany Spelock, and Destiny Grimes with school supplies they helped gather to donate to Gilmer County Elementary School

Three of the students, Bethany Spelock, Hannah Mick, and Destiny Grimes, coordinated a school supplies drive for youngsters at Gilmer County Elementary School. The collection included pencils, markers, glue, crayons, construction paper, and more with the idea that by mid-year, classrooms often need to restock their supplies. The students held the drive in coordination with GSC’s Early Education Student Group and hope to make it an annual event.

The trio are all sophomore elementary education students at GSC. Spelock is from Charleston, West Virginia, Mick hails from Clarksburg, West Virginia, and Grimes is from Weston, West Virginia.

Several baskets of books collected by GSC students and community members

Another group from Science 302 Physical Science for Elementary Teachers, led by Jessica Bird and Taylor Keenan, collected and purchased children’s books and distributed them to restaurants in the Nicholas County area. The restaurant book baskets are designed so families can read with their children while they wait for their food to be prepared. Both Bird and Keenan are juniors from Summersville, West Virginia and also hope to continue and expand the book collection and distribution.

GSC students Jessica Bird and Taylor Keenan pause for a photo during their science class

Assistant Professor of Science Education Dr. Jeff Hunter leads the Science 204 and 302 courses and encouraged the students through their projects. “Community service is a vital part of being a teacher,” Hunter said. “These students not only represented GSC very well in the community, but have done great service work this semester. We’re very proud of them. In addition to helping schoolchildren this year, the students have made plans to continue the projects and make them into annual events,” he continued.

The students will continue to take donations from interested community members into the future. Donations can be dropped off at Glenville State College in the Science and Math or Education Departments.

For more information, contact Hunter at Jeff.Hunter@glenville.edu or (304) 462-6314.