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Welcome to our new series, The School Dispatch! This column will spotlight different students from across the commonwealth, each edition giving someone the opportunity to share the good, bad, and the ugly of what’s going on in their school or district. From unique events, to new trends, to causes of complaint, this series will show readers what Kentucky’s schools look like from a student’s lens.
By Jayley Carroll, Elizabethtown High School
Elizabethtown is like no other place I’ve lived before. It is unique in many ways, but the overwhelming sense of community sticks out. In the Elizabethtown Independent School District, people are always helping each other. Parents are constantly involved with school functions and fundraisers, and clubs come together to complete countless volunteer hours around the city. Our city constantly works together in times of need. So naturally, when Elizabethtown first started experiencing the effects of the government shutdown, we came together like we always do.
Staff at my school started a school-wide donation effort called “Panthers Provide.” The idea is that staff, students, parents and anyone in the community can donate non-perishable food items to be distributed to those in need in our district. That includes food items like applesauce, Pop-Tarts, Jello-O, and more snacks, as well as basic needs items like baby wipes. This is just one of many things my school has done to help out. For years, my school has thrown a back-to-school event, more recently called “PantherFest." This event is and always has been so beneficial to my community. Staff get to meet students in a relaxed atmosphere, people have the opportunity to get a meal, and most importantly, people are connected to many community resources. These events have also been places people can receive school supplies at no cost.
We often have donation competitions with rival schools with incentives and rewards as a prize for winning. Our clubs schoolwide also encourage us to gain our volunteer hours at “Feeding America,” local soup kitchens, and youth empowerment programs. In our school district, there is always someone in need. This makes community efforts like these not just beneficial, but necessary.
The people of Elizabethtown are always making a difference. We see it in our community whether it is a new elementary playground funded largely by donations or food donated to “Panthers Provide” by local grocers. It's beautiful to see our city come together in the good times and the bad. I hope many schools get to experience the community and togetherness that my city has established. I believe that the relationship that my city has with its people, including our school, brings us closer.
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