Eighth-grade students from Hutchinson Middle School hosted their annual Community Service Night, last Wednesday evening. During the event, students presented their chosen projects to families and members of the community. The students were expected to spend at least 15 hours on their projects and had the option of working independently or in groups. While teachers and other adults were available to provide guidance, the students themselves organized and implemented their projects from start to finish.
One example of the many student projects presented was a group that created a Minecraft server specifically for kids who are receiving medical care in children's hospitals. Inspired by one of their members, Kiran Sathees, who had recently undergone brain surgery, the group aimed to create a place for other isolated children to collaborate and interact with each other. These eighth-grade students are continuing to progress forward, with plans to continue their efforts outside of school. Their next steps are to spread the word and hopefully find business partners to help fund this project so that no children are excluded due to financial constraints. This campus-wide project is an important milestone in student development, as it teaches them to think beyond themselves and consider the needs of others.