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| Mrs. Walter's advisory builds a recycle bin of recycled materials, for Habitat for Humanity. |
Kindergarteners are working with students from age zero to three years old at the Talbot County Early Head Start program, creating learning materials and assisting with hands-on projects.
First graders work at Idlewild Park, cleaning out gardens, picking up trash and maintaining the playground areas. During the winter months, boys and girls make bird feeders to hang in the park and make posters to put around town to remind others to care for the park. In the spring, first graders plant flowers and remove wet, dead leaves.
Working in conjunction with the Midshore Riverkeepers Conservancy, the second grade is organizing and hosting a children's environmental film festival in November. Second graders select the films and prepare to introduce them onstage at the Avalon Theater.
Third grade continues its relationship with the Neighborhood Service Center, making lunches monthly, as well as assembling food baskets for the holidays. This year, we are also establishing a connection with the members of the Talbot County Senior Center, visiting the center throughout the year and participating in special events.
The fourth grade supports the Society of St. Vincent dePaul and its clients. A group of ten students works at the SVDP center approximately once a month. While there they pack grocery bags for clients of the center, and sort and fold donated clothing and toys that may be purchased by clients of the center. The Society of St. Vincent dePaul serves the needy throughout Talbot County.
Upper School students participate in HOHO projects by advisory. Advisories are groups of eight to ten students, with one or two teacher advisors. Fifth graders are in fifth-grade-only advisories, while sixth through eighth graders are mixed.
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| Ms. Whittier and Mrs. Frederick's advisory make Christmas crafts with students from The Benedictine School. |
Mrs. Bishop’s and Mr. Nittle’s fifth grade advisories meet with preschoolers at Critchlow Adkins Day Care Center. They visit the centers four times throughout the year. During a typical visit, the fifth graders plan circle time and crafts activities, as well as indoor and outdoor games to play with the children.
Mrs. Stecher's fifth grade advisory will be teaching Spanish to the 4 year olds at Manor Discovery, a local preschool. Students will plan the lessons, create the materials of instruction, and conduct and teach lessons in large and small group settings.
Mrs. Arnesen’s advisory supports the Talbot County Hospice by assisting with recycling, seasonal decorating, spring planting, and delivering snacks.
Ms. Whittier and Mrs. Frederick’s advisory has two active projects; one is assisting with maintaining the grounds of the Healing Garden in Easton, a garden and park for parents who have lost children. The other project is a partnership with The Benedictine School in Ridgely, helping their students with crafts and projects, and doing some read-aloud and some skits.
Mrs. Walter's advisory is working with Habitat for Humanity. They have met with a Habitat homeowner, and do work such as clearing lots for future home sites, and other activities the organization deems necessary and age-appropriate for middle school students.
Ms. Amaral's advisory is working with the residents of the Dixon House Independent and Assisted Living home, visiting them often throughout the year, writing them letters, and inviting them to special events here at The Country School.
Mr. Hoopes and Mrs. Orban's advisory is assisting veterans organizations with their programs as well as creating oral histories with the assistance of veterans and their stories. By working with Easton’s VFW and other veterans programs they will support their efforts and create oral histories, which will be submitted to the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project.
Mrs. Sheets and Mrs. Rajacich's advisories work with the Talbot Humane Society in a variety of ways, including volunteering at the "Bark in the Park" event in the Kid's Tent, weekly small-group visits to help clean and do other odd jobs at their location, and making dog and cat toys and treats.
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| First graders clean up the grounds at Idlewild Park. |
"Beat Butts for Bay" is the motto of Mr. Cox's advisory. They have received a $500.00 grant from the Talbot Health Department the last three years, and have completed or are in the process of several projects. They go out into the community and select certain sites to remove discarded tobacco products (butts), make posters to educate the public on the toxic dangers of discarded cigarette products, air public service announcements on the radio concerning the toxic effects of tobacco products, and will make a video concerning the toxic effects of tobacco products.
Ms. Steg's advisory is helping the Friends of Spring Hill Historic Cemetery in Easton. In addition to maintaining the grounds throughout the year, and cleaning up after major holidays (by removing old flowers and decorations after Christmas and Easter), the students research the lives of the people buried here, in order to help to raise awareness of the importance of this cemetery as a historic resource for our community.
Mr. Winkler’s advisory is working with the Activities Director at St. Mark’s Village, a retirement community for the elderly in Easton, to provide entertainment for the residents, many of whom have limited means. This year the advisory students will work closely with the residents on pre-Halloween, pre-Christmas, and pre-St. Patrick's Day activities.