The OPE chapter is part of Kids Korps USA, a nonprofit youth volunteer organization that engages young people, ages 5 through 18, in community service. Kids Korps partners with more than 250 national and local non-profit organizations including Habitat for Humanity, Special Olympics, Community Resource Center, children's hospitals, homeless shelters, animal shelters, senior centers and environmental agencies. Each project we do is only a few hours and we typically do them once a month. You can choose to be in as many or few of these as you would like.
Kids Korps will start their monthly service projects in October. If you are interested in joining the OPE chapter of Kids Korps USA, please attend our Kids Korps Kick Off Meeting on Friday, September 18th after school at the lunch tables.
Any questions regarding Kids Korps or other community service initiatives here at OPE, please contact Carrie Winters, PTA VP of Community Service, at cleewinters@gmail.com. To view the Kids Korps USA project calendar, click here.
OPE Toiletry Drive Completed!
A big thank you to all OPE families who contributed to our annual Toiletry Drive! We collected tons of toiletries that were diligently assembled in holiday packages by Mrs. Healy's students. All packages have been donated to the Encinitas Community Center to help the needy this holiday season :-)
Busy elves from Mrs. Healy's class...
October 5th - October 9th
A big thank you to all the families who contributed to our Jacket Drive! We collected over 300 jackets that will be distributed to needy families serviced by the Encinitas Community Resource Center. Way to go, OPE!
Kids Korps Kicked Off at OPE!
On Friday, September 18, OPE held its annual Kids Korps Kickoff Event. The Marine Color Guard of Camp Pendleton
was on hand for a fabulous presentation of the flags. This was followed up by patriotic songs performed by OPE's Honor Choir, which is made up of 5th and 6th graders and led by our wonderful music consultant, Jessica Smith. As a lead in to our event, OPE families generously contributed over 250 boxes of Mac 'n Cheese that were donated to Military Outreach Ministry (MOM) at Camp Pendleton. Patty Dutra, Director of Development for MOM, spoke to students about how their organization helps support Marine families. She stressed the importance of volunteering in your community and the difference it makes in the lives of others.
OPE Wins California Service Learning Leader Award!
OPE had the distinction of receiving the 2008-2009 Service Learning Leader Award, one of only eleven schools statewide to receive this award, and the only in San Diego County. The award is given by Youth Service California, the California Department of Education, and Learn & Serve.
Through service learning, students are encouraged to improve the lives of others locally and across the globe. At the same time, the students develop leadership skills; they learn how to work together and individually to achieve goals; and they develop a sense of responsibility to the community. To qualify for the award students had to apply academic skills and knowledge to address real-life needs. Principal Erin English accepted the award, presented by California State Superintendent Jack O’Connell at the Service Learning Leadership Institute in Anaheim.
Service Learning programs are encouraged at every grade level. Right now, through “Kids 4 Entoto,” students are raising money for airline tickets to fly children from Ethiopia to Los Angeles for life-changing surgeries. The students will collect pledges for running in the Junior Carlsbad race. In “Jump for Heart” students raised money for the American Heart Association and the Ariana Miller Foundation. One of OPE’s sixth grade classes developed a dog biscuit company called “Red Dawg” that bakes, markets, and sells dog biscuits to raise money for training guide dogs. They also take part in “Paws to Read,” a program to improve reading proficiency in younger children. Another student business sells produce and flowers from the school garden to raise money for charity. OPE students also collected donations and made 125 bed rolls with personalized notes attached for the Community Resource Center; sent care packages to service members in Iraq and collected food, toys, and furniture for the Military Outreach Ministry at Camp Pendleton among many other service learning projects. Mrs. English says programs like these are linked to improvements in multiple skills, including math, creative writing, public speaking, art and world studies. |
