Extra-Curricular Activities

I believe that extra-curricular activities motivate students to want to be in the building for classes.  In my career, I have been an assistant speech coach, academic decathlon coach, and the SADD sponsor.  SADD stands for students against destructive decisions.

As the SADD sponsor, my responsibilities include:  Red Ribbon Week, The Operation Teen Safe Drive Grant, Snowflake, Peace Week, and Prom Promises.


Red Ribbon

Red Ribbon is a week where SADD educates the student body about choices being made when it comes to drug and alcohol use.  This year, my students created the theme "Tie Yourself to Life".  For the week, they collected ties from teachers, administrators, and community leaders who donated the ties to show support of teens' choices.  The ties, there were 650 were all distributed to students.  The students handed out flyers, had classmates sign pledges to stay safe, decorated the school with red ribbons, ran workroom table top discussions, and there were also speakers from the outside.


The Operation Teen Safe Drive Grant

The grant was given to us by the Illinois Department of Transportation and All State Insurance.  To complete the requirements of the grant and secure it, we had to complete a seat-belt survey.  That gave us an idea of the problems our students have behind wheel.  For awareness, we sponsored a talent show with the class officers.  We also handed out flyers in the neighborhood.  We had hallway promotions with decorations and "candy flyers".  We also had a school-wide fair.


Snowflake

Snowflake is a program that we complete in conjunction with the middle schools.  With the students of another school in the area, our students get trained to facilitate awareness activities with the middle school students.


Peace Week

During this week, there are spirit days where students use dress days to show solidarity to promote peace in the building.  Students handed out daisies with messages of peace to their classmates.  They handed out lemon heads to say "Turn your lemons into lemon heads."   They decorated the halls with peace signs and tie-dyed oil pastel posters.  They also tie-dyed t-shirts for their classmates. Also, the NJROTC did a peace drill routine and Miss Illinois spoke to our students about peace.


Prom Promises

The week before prom seniors were given literature about staying safe during prom season.  Teachers wore shirts that said "Be Back on Monday." Students were also landyards that said "Be Back on Monday."  Speakers came in to speak to our students about prom dangers.