The June 2009 recipients of the “Caught in the Act-of Keeping Lakewood’s Promise” Award are more than 35 students in Special Education Life Skills classes at Clover Park and Lakes High Schools and Alfaretta House, for their work and dedication supporting projects that serve other needy children and families, primarily through their partnership with Caring for Kids. Despite their own personal challenges, these students ranging in age from 14 to 21, spend many hours each week giving back to their community.
As they learn good work skills and habits they help other students and families in Lakewood. They prepare packets of school supplies for the annual Ready to Learn Fair; bag and deliver weekend take-home food supplies for needy youngsters at Southgate and Tyee Park elementary; prepare alphabet kits for Reading is Fun bags distributed by Caring for Kids and create balloon bouquets to raise money to support Caring for Kids. In addition, they fill, distribute and collect the proceeds from Lollipop Trees at many business locations throughout Lakewood as a fundraiser for Communities in Schools of Lakewood. One interesting project creates a challenge for the class at Clover Park, as their classroom is virtually overrun by hundreds of baby clothes which they sort twice a year and deliver to Caring for Kids to help young moms in need.
We commend these special young people for their dedication, commitment and hard work. Therefore, the Life Skills classes of Clover Park and Lakes High Schools and Alfaretta House are hereby recognized by Lakewood’s Community Collaboration and receive individual certificates of recognition, plaques for their school classrooms, and the traveling Red Wagon of Lakewood’s Promise, symbolic of pulling their weight to help other children in Lakewood.
The mission of Lakewood’s Promise is to mobilize people from every sector of life to build the character and competence of our youth by providing these Promises:
* An ongoing relationship with a caring adult
* Safe places with structured activities during non-school hours
* A healthy start for a healthy future
* Effective education for marketable skills and college readiness
* Opportunities for youth to serve their community.
Lakewood’s Community Collaboration, made up of over 100 human service organizations, service clubs, businesses, individuals and public entities each month presents a “Caught in the Act-of Keeping Lakewood’s Promise” Award to an individual or organization that has quietly performed an outstanding deed or deeds for one or more families/children in the City of Lakewood, thus “keeping Lakewood’s Promise” to our youth.
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