Receiving “messy makeovers” were Pointview team members Donna Dixius, English as a Second Language; Amanda Webb, kindergarten teacher; Kevin Essex, third grade teacher; Connie Himes, fourth grade teacher; Jeanne Roth, principal; Katie McCune, instructional coach; and Angie Schmidt, first grade teacher.
There are no desks at the Mukono Jr. School in Uganda – only benches. When students have to write, they kneel on the clay floor and use the benches they sit on for tables. Chalkboards in the school are falling apart, so teachers and students sometimes write on the wooden walls.
Classrooms at Pointview Elementary School in Westerville are quite different. Students not only have chairs and desks, they have access to computers and Smart Boards and a myriad of other learning tools. After hearing about the school in Uganda, the Leadership Team at Pointview sprang into action. They sold lollipops and bracelets, and collected change so their fellow classmates could vote to give their favorite teacher a “messy makeover.” At an assembly held on Friday afternoon, March 22, it was announced that $700 had been raised to buy desks and chalkboards for the Mukono Jr. School in Uganda. Teacher/advisor for the service learning project was Donna Dixius.