Students who are part of the Washington Court House City Schools’ Superintendent’s Advisory Council came up with ideas for a proclamation that was then presented by the Washington C.H. City Council at this week’s council meeting.
The Superintendent’s Advisory Council at the school district consists of students between the sixth and 12th grades who took part in an interview process to join the council. These students, according to Trevor Patton, Washington Court House City Schools director of marketing and communications, act as a guiding council to Superintendent Tom Bailey on issues concerning the schools. The council allows these students to have a respectful, but open conversation about the issues in the district and how they can make them better.
“The administration is available to all of the students, parents, teachers or whoever might need them all of the time, but these kids can have this time with Mr. Bailey to express specific concerns from themselves or friends at the various schools and grades,” Patton said. “This council is ultimately the students’ baby. We’re excited to see what these bright minds have in store to help grow goodwill throughout our community.”
The proclamation presented recently at the city council meeting is based off the “Pay it Forward” concept, which was inspired by a novel written by Catherine Ryan Hyde of the same name in 2000. The aim of this movement is to promote community spirit through acts of kindness and has been vital in inspiring millions of good deeds all over the world. A Pay it Forward Day was created in 2007 in Australia to further this movement of goodwill and is supported by people in more than 70 countries on six continents.
“Whereas, Pay it Forward Day encourages people to do good deeds for others without asking for anything in return except for the recipients to pay it forward to others in need and whereas together we can make a difference by creating a positive community and world – one good deed at a time,” the proclamation said. “Now, therefore, the members of City Council of the City of Washington Court House, Fayette County, Ohio, do hereby proclaim the week of April 23, 2018 as ‘PAY IT FORWARD WEEK’ in the City of Washington Court House and urge all citizens to observe this week with activities and acts of kindness that demonstrate and celebrate selfless giving.”
According to Patton, the most interesting part about Pay it Forward Week is that it is a student-lead initiative. These young men and women are the ones who want to make Washington Court House an even better place and are putting in the work to make it happen.
“Pay it Forward Day is a challenge taken on across the globe, but our students were inspired to take it even further for their hometown by challenging Washington Court House to do it for an entire week,” Patton said. “We’re really proud of our student-leaders for stepping up to invoke real change in not only the culture of our schools, but the culture of our community. The Blue Lions in every building will engage in different acts of kindness and service projects throughout the week, and hope to inspire the entire community to join them as well.”
For more information, contact the Washington Court House City Schools at (740) 335-6620.
