Mount Vernon High School students support foster children of Knox County with gift bags

MOUNT VERNON – Mount Vernon High School skills for life students donated 60 gift bags to Knox County Job and Family Services for children ages birth to 12 in the Foster Care program.

The donations were given to Ray Guajaro, foster and adoption social worker, on Dec. 6, 2021.

Students Khloe Wetzel, Lilli Peugh and Racheal Snyder coordinated the class community service project. Students created marbled ornaments, decorated gift bags, chose inspirational winter-themed coloring sheets and added crayons or colored pencils to each gift bag.

"We anticipated making about two dozen bags, and were surprised when the number almost doubled," Wetzel said. "Preparing everything for the ornament was a little more complicated than I thought, but well worth it." She said she appreciated the help offered by the entire skills for life class. 

All students in the family and consumer science classes are members of FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America). The purpose of the service project is not only to make a difference in the community, but to gain leadership, organizational and public speaking skills. This class project is eligible to participate in the National FCCLA competition as a career technical leadership event. The project leaders have the option to compete and will have a series of regional and state competitions to win prior to advancing to Nationals.

“This is the first project my classes did for the foster children of Knox County. These three young women did a fantastic job pulling all the pieces for the project to be a success,” said Martha Melick, FCCLA adviser, and MVHS family and consumer science teacher. 

Photo 

Cutline: Mount Vernon High School students present 60 gift bags to Ray Guajaro, foster and adoption social worker at Knox County Job and Family Services. Front row, left to right: Guajaro, Kamryn Bell, Kylen Grogg, Haley Combs, Serenity Holland, Rachel Snyder, Dominick Edwards; back row, left to right: Zara Schoonover, Chloe Wetzel, Lilli Peugh and Jeradyn Carpenter.

Credit: Submitted