7th Grade Class Council makes bookmarks to purchase books

Stop in Mr. Thompson's social studies room during lunch period and you'll likely find a busy group of students making bookmarks. Bookmarks!?! Parents are sending their children to school to make bookmarks? In this instance, the answer is, "yes."

Members of the 7th Grade Class Council gathers in Mr. Thompson's room and hurriedly eat their lunches so they can get down to the serious business of making American Braves bookmarks. The group plans to sell the bookmarks and use the proceeds to purchase school supplies for children in Afghanistan.

The project came about when Mr. Thompson shared a video of a real school in Afghanistan. It was a home video shot by one of Lt. Dan Kelly's former unit.

"It was just a tent without sides," explained Mr. Thompson. "The kids' jaws just dropped. The video showed kids proudly waving pencils and spiral bound notebooks they had received. I told my students to look around and appreciate everything they have. My students probably have pencils and notebooks that they never even use."

Clyde Sammons was a member of Mr. Thompson's class. He was also the president of the 7th Grade Class Council. He and fellow council members discussed the Afghan schools and decided to take on the project on as a public service. They designed the text and graphics for both sides of the bookmarks which were ultimately printed and donated to the school by M&M Printing & Design of Johnstown.

Each bookmark is decorated with Afghan beads threaded onto colored twine. Once a week during lunch periods, the council meets to thread and tie beads onto the bookmarks. As soon as they have produced sufficient numbers, they will begin to sell them.

"Our students will buy school supplies and use the remainder of the money to pay the shipping to have them delivered to the Afghan schools," said Mr. Thompson.

In addition to Sammons, the council includes Maren Caffrey, Kevin Twardzik, Brandon Akey, Meghan Foy, Savannah Lilley, Marissa Denton, Megan Myers, Sara James, Charity Warner, and Danielle Clifford.