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FSHS students to begin Paw Prints campaign
Representatives of the Fort Scott High School PRIDE chapter provided information on a new student morale-boosting project to the USD 234 Board of Education on Monday.
Angie Bin, PRIDE sponsor and student officer and historian Mikayla Norris appeared before the board to share information about a proposed PRIDE project and update board members on projects PRIDE students are involved with in the community. Some PRIDE officers had other commitments and weren't present for the board meeting.
"We've had a couple of great opportunities," Bin said.
Last month, the PRIDE group was asked to speak at a Missouri Youth Civic Leaders Summit. At that summit, students worked on The Tiger Print Project, which is designed to boost student morale at the high school and also to get students involved in the beautification process at the school.
Bin and Norris presented information on the proposed project to the board. Norris also outlined several community projects PRIDE students have participated in this year.
"The (Tiger Print Project) project illustrates how we could put a 'paw print' on the future for Fort Scott High School," Bin said.
According to a project mission statement, the objective is to "create a 'pawsitive' environment for FSHS through the involvement of students in the beautification of the new high school," and "to inspire students to excel and prosper as a community through morale boosting messages and signage."
Bin said there have been some negative feelings from students regarding construction taking place at the high school as part of the school district bond projects.
Projects at the high school include construction of a new math and science wing to replace the old Juco wing, a high-wind shelter, a new auxiliary gymnasium and two new math rooms.
Bin said there have been student complaints about the parking issue and other concerns related to construction at the high school. She said the goal is to boost morale and make students feel "more positive."
"We want to help inspire students, to help them see they have buy-in and are part of the beautification process, and to make them feel good," Bin said.
At the Missouri summit, students got together for a series of project planning sessions.
Some of the justifications for the project, according to the presentation made during the board meeting, include making a more positive school environment to impact student success in the classroom and their self-esteem, community connections to a positive student environment promote better outcomes for students, and that schools with student buy-in to their environment experience less negative behaviors.
Bin said some examples include placing signs and other positive messages around the school. Other examples she has seen include statues and artwork.
Responsibilities of the PRIDE students, according to the presentation, include touring other schools in the area to take photos and make observations to provide input to group members; surveying the student body for input and to inform decision making; making informed recommendations to the school board and administration about suggestions for beautification/morale boosting projects; discovering ways to incorporate student work into suggested projects; and forming partnerships with community and alumni groups to get assistance for suggested projects.
The goal is for the PRIDE chapter to act as an umbrella organization for the project with each club or organization at the high school having a representative of that group on the project team.
Board President Jordan Witt thanked Bin and Norris for their work on the presentation and with PRIDE.
"I love the idea of a positive message," Witt said.