Community Service
Giving back to the community is at the heart of our chapter’s mission. Through hands-on projects and meaningful outreach, we strive to make a lasting impact on both our campus and the local community. From Literacy Under the Lights, which promotes a love of reading among young learners, to collaborative service initiatives that support families and schools, our members are dedicated to making a difference.
Explore our community service efforts below to see how we are turning our passion for education into action!
Kids Club Crawl
The Kids Club Crawl, an engaging community event hosted by the Clarion Community Learning Workshop during the Autumn Leaf Festival. Our members led a craft table, where children got creative making teacher lanyards, while also promoting our upcoming event, Literacy Under the Lights. The Kids Club Crawl brought together PennWest Clarion clubs and organizations, each offering interactive activities that reflected their mission. This event provided young children with a fun and educational space to explore new interests and connect with student-led initiatives. We were proud to share our passion for education, introduce families to SPSEA, and contribute to a meaningful experience for the children in our community!
Self-Care Night
Our Self-Care Night was the perfect opportunity for members to take a break, unwind, and focus on their well-being. This 2.5-hour drop-in event was filled with relaxing activities designed to help everyone de-stress and recharge. With soothing music, yoga, hot chocolate, cookies, coloring, nail painting, face masks, and bracelet making, there was something for everyone to enjoy. Prioritizing self-care is essential for aspiring educators, and this event provided a calm, welcoming space to relax, connect with peers, and practice mindfulness. Whether sipping hot chocolate, creating art, or simply taking a moment to breathe, participants left feeling refreshed and recharged. Thank you to everyone who joined us for a night of relaxation and self-care! From planning and sketching to the final brushstrokes, our members worked together to bring this mural to life, showcasing the charm and history of Clarion while reinforcing the importance of community in education. This initiative not only added a unique touch to our education building but also served as a collaborative project that strengthened bonds among our members. This mural stands as a testament to our chapter’s dedication to creativity, service, and honoring the community that supports us.
Hygiene Drive
Our chapter is proud to support students in Clarion Area and Clarion-Limestone School Districts through our ongoing Hygiene Drive! By collecting essential hygiene products such as shampoo, soap, toothpaste, deodorant, and other personal care items, we are helping ensure that students have access to the necessities they need to feel confident and ready to learn. Proper hygiene plays a crucial role in student well-being and success, and we are committed to making a difference in our local schools. As donations continue to come in, we are grateful for the generosity of our members and community in helping students thrive both in and out of the classroom. Thank you to everyone who has contributed so far! Your support is making a meaningful impact on the lives of local students.
Take Your Child to Work Day
For Take Your Child to Work Day, our chapter brought the excitement of the Cardboard Carnival to campus, giving children a chance to experience our interactive, student-built carnival games firsthand! Our members hosted the event, guiding children through a variety of STEM-inspired games designed from cardboard and simple machines. From launching balls through ramps to testing their skills at ring toss, kids engaged in hands-on play while exploring basic engineering and physics concepts in a fun, accessible way. This event was a great opportunity to showcase our chapter’s commitment to creative, hands-on learning while bringing joy to the children of PennWest Clarion faculty and staff. Through this Mini Cardboard Carnival, we created a memorable experience that blended learning and play, reinforcing the impact of interactive education in early childhood development!
Literacy Under the Lights
A magical evening where books come to life! Literacy Under the Lights is a community event designed to inspire a love for reading through interactive storytelling, games, and giveaways.
NEA CREATE Grant: ChompSaws
Our chapter is honored to have been awarded an NEA CREATE Grant, which will help us expand STEAM education and hands-on learning opportunities for students and future educators. This funding will support the creation of a STEAM Lending Library, allowing local schools and educators to borrow high-quality materials for interactive, project-based learning that integrates science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. With this grant, we were able to purchase ChompSaw cardboard cutting machines, which will enhance our Cardboard Carnival initiative and provide new opportunities for creative, hands-on STEAM exploration. These tools will allow us to design intricate, durable projects that engage students in problem-solving, engineering, artistic expression, and innovation. By establishing a STEAM Lending Library, we aim to provide local schools with accessible, reusable resources that bring STEAM concepts to life in the classroom. We are excited to see how this initiative will empower educators and inspire students for years to come!
Chief Science Officers Training
Stevens Hall Mural Painting
As a lasting tribute to our community, our chapter completed a hand-painted mural of Main Street, Clarion, in the hallways of Stevens Hall. This project was designed to celebrate the connection between our campus and the local town, creating a welcoming and inspiring space for future educators. From planning and sketching to the final brushstrokes, our members worked together to bring this mural to life, showcasing the charm and history of Clarion while reinforcing the importance of community in education. This initiative not only added a unique touch to our education building but also served as a collaborative project that strengthened bonds among our members. This mural stands as a testament to our chapter’s dedication to creativity, service, and honoring the community that supports us.
Student Teacher Care Packages
Student teaching is an exciting but challenging journey, and our chapter wanted to show our support by creating Student Teacher Self-Care Packages. Each package is filled with Emergency C, tissues, essential school supplies, candy, and mini coloring books to help student teachers stay healthy, organized, and stress-free as they navigate their classrooms.
Food Drive
Our chapter is currently hosting a food drive to benefit the PennWest Pantry, and we are already thrilled by the generosity of our members and community! As donations continue to come in, we are excited to see the impact we can make in supporting students facing food insecurity. The PennWest Pantry provides essential resources to students in need, and we are proud to contribute by collecting non-perishable food items. This initiative reflects our commitment to community service and ensuring that all students have access to the support they need. We are still collecting donations, so if you’d like to contribute, there’s still time! Thank you to everyone who has already given—we appreciate your generosity in making a difference!
Hillview Elementary School Outreach Project
Our chapter joined forces with SPSEA members from across the region to bring new life to Hillview Elementary School in Grove City through a large-scale community outreach and beautification project. Over the course of the event, volunteers worked on 12 different projects designed to create a more engaging, welcoming, and dynamic learning environment for students. From hand-painted murals that celebrate learning and diversity to sensory walls that provide interactive, hands-on experiences, every project was designed with student enrichment in mind. Volunteers also hung flags representing diversity and inclusion, installed interactive displays, and worked on various school enhancements that will positively impact the Hillview community for years to come.