By Shirley Shuman
October 16, a group of Davis Elementary first-grade students spent time spraying weeds in selected areas of Gassaway. With spray bottles filled with a non-toxic liquid, they attacked weeds around the Gassaway Community Building, the community park, and, finishing their work, around their school building itself. Their teacher Lindsay Harman and instruction aide Brenda Raynor along with other adults supervised the project.
The project came about, according to GAIC president Rocky Nutter, through a grant issued from Volunteer West Virginia, a government sanctioned organization. Nutter explained that he had received an email announcing that grants were available. Although he “had never attempted to fill out a grant request,” he did and was successful in receiving a $500 grant for the project.
Nutter said he organized the project with the school principal, Michelle Winemiller, who chose the first grade students for the project. Paula Johnson, a grandparent volunteer and LSIC alternate member, according to Principal Winemiller, “mixed the ingredients and was definitely instrumental in getting the project done.”
Instructor Harman liked the idea of her students participating in a weed-killing project in areas of the town of Gassaway. Harman said, “They enjoyed it, and I enjoyed it. It was nice to see kids that young participate in something like that.” She added, “We made sure to go to the War Memorial, where we talked about support and the importance of making sure to keep areas like that clean.” Harman also noted that the social studies lesson on the day of the project dealt with community helpers and community support.
Some of Harman’s students were glad to discuss the project and their participation. Bryson Quinn declared, “It was good because it was fun to clean up.” He added, “It was a good idea to help the town look better and to help the community.”
Ella Cook said she “liked it because it helped our community.” She explained, “It cleaned up the park and the community building because we sprayed to kill weeds [around] both. I liked this project because we were helping.”
“I liked it a lot because I like helping the community,” Ford Bostic said. After explaining where they sprayed, he added, “It was an easy job and fun. {We] did it to clean up the community and make it look better.”
Another student, Layla Gump, explained what she and her classmates did “keeps the earth clean.” Layla said she enjoyed it “ [although] it was hard work because we sprayed a lot of weeds.” What she liked best, she said, was “We helped the community.”
The students involved obviously enjoyed their participation in the project, and the adults involved apparently taught them the value of community service.
