Charleroi students make ornaments, build bridges
Lori C. Padilla
Sara Riskey (left) mans the glue gun for the snowman ornaments while Adam Bly chooses the scarf color with the help of Susie Schaum, Life Skills aide. Summer Hull holds on to a finished ornament for reference.
Lori C. Padilla
The students of the Charleroi Senior High School Life Skills class hang their handmade ornaments on the school’s Christmas Tree to cap off the project and their successful sale. Life Skills instructor Justin Roycraft (back) watches Mike Harris place his snowman ornament while aide Brooke Fagan looks for a good place for Nicholas Kimmel to hang his handmade ornament.
Lori C. Padilla
The Life Skills Class of Charleroi Senior High School recently handmade Christmas ornaments which they sold to fellow students and staff. The applesauce and cinnamon tree ornament held by Justin Chester was very fragrant and sold along with the popsicle snowmen ornaments created by Alexis Gilbert. The ornament project served as a socilization situation for the students with their classmates as well as creating a memory of something fun they did during the school year.
Justin Roycroft’s students were looking for a way to fund a field trip when they created and sold Christmas tree ornaments throughout Charleroi Area High School.
But what his students created will last long after the ornaments are put away until another holiday season.
The genesis for the project started in early November.
“We were discussing ways to raise money for a field trip,” Roycroft said. “I thought it would be a great way to get the students out working with the public and working on their social skills.”
Roycroft and classroom aide Brooke Fagan came up with the idea of having the students make Christmas ornaments.
The students made two different ornaments. Applesauce and cinnamon ornaments were cut with cookie cutters into Christmas trees.
“For a week, our classroom smelled like cinnamon,” Roycroft said with a laugh.
Using popsicle sticks, they formed snowman ornaments which the students then painted. Art teacher Patrick Camut donated the paint for the ornaments.
They began assembling and selling the ornaments as soon as the students returned from Thanksgiving break. When the first 50 quickly sold, Roycroft purchased additional materials. In just three days, the students sold 250 total ornaments.
“We went into the cafeteria at lunchtime and one day we went into the classrooms and sold those which were left,” Roycroft said.
He said although many of the students have jobs outside the school, the school project was the first chance many had handling money.
“They did a phenomenal job of it,” Roycroft said.
Student Alexis Gilbert said the project helped her focus in the classroom.
“I love arts and crafts and everybody worked together as a team,” Gilbert said.
Student Michael Harris, 19, of Charleroi, enjoyed creating with the cookie cutters.
“I learned to help out with the other students,” Harris said.
“The other students in the cafeteria were excited about the job we did. They were friendly, nice and cool.”
Student Nick Kimmel learned to paint and build the ornaments, and build bridges in the school.
“The students in the cafeteria asked about the ornaments and I showed them to smell (the cinnamon),” Kimmel said. “They were friendly.”
The project taught the Life Skills students socialization, getting them to interact with their peers, Roycroft said.
“We work on social skills, especially to help them when they go out looking for jobs,” Roycroft said. “We’re always in here together so the more I can push them out the better.”
The students leave the Life Skills classroom for inclusion in such subjects as gym, computers and chorus.
But, through this project, the school learned about the students as much as the students learned about their school, Roycroft said.
The student population got to meet the Life Skills students and offered them praise for the ornaments which they bought up.
“It was a success because of the support of the whole staff, from the administration to the cafeteria,” Roycroft said. “The students were very supportive — there was school-wide support. They are more understanding and accepting. And I think it’s great for my students to be involved in the school.”
The class has made great strides in this Roycroft’s first year in Charleroi Area High School after four years at Colonial School in the Brownsville Area School District.
“They’re outgoing, they’re not shy,” Roycroft said. “That’s the big thing. My first week here, it was quiet. They were shy. I got them to open up.”
The reward was that field trip to attend a performance of “The Nutcracker” at the State Theater in Uniontown.
“I loved it,” said Gilbert.
“It was awesome,” added Harris. “My favorite part were the ballerinas. They have perfection in everything they do.”
Roycroft hopes to build on the success of the project. The Intermediate Unit, which operates the high school Life Skills class, permits two field trips per school year for the students. They are already eyeing a spring trip and a project to fund it. He hopes to include the middle school Life Skills class, operated by the district, as well.
“We’ve seen them come a long way,” Roycroft said.