Thank you to our 2021 student volunteers who have contributed over 95 hours (and counting) hours this year!
Cobb Middle School
Sarah Jackson
Griffin Middle School
Elyse Odland Perryn Cote
Lone Star High School
Victoria Rott Kassidy Smith Autumn Webb McKenzie Webb
Memorial High School
Jacob Ryan
Reedy High School
Zeke Barnett Leah Rosen
Wakeland High School
Avery Alonso, Jessie Comings, Kaitlyn Denton, Emily Eigenmann, Maddie Freeman, Erica Gentry, Lillian Hayes, Samantha Jackson, Aidyn Kahouch, James Lensmeyer, Anna Ottwell, Rylee Stephens, Camden Waldo, Makenzie Wolff
Let's talk for a moment about the S in SAGE - Supporting. We are here to support students and families, but our biggest goal is to support inclusion. At the high school level, typical students are often busy studying, extra curricular activities and being a teenager. Luckily Frisco ISD and many organizations encourage volunteerism as part of educating the whole child. For Frisco SAGE, this is a win-win! We have been able to offer hundreds of hours of flexible volunteer hours to middle and high school students through the Homecoming Mum and Garter project each year.
As a nonprofit that is run by mainly moms of special needs children, time is a most PRECIOUS commodity. As a teen who is looking to build volunteer hours in a Covid world, they are often few and far between and not very flexible. A third reason using these teens allows for some ownership when those mums and garters are handed out to the students in centralized special education classes. They know that they helped someone feel involved in the celebration of Homecoming, regardless of how ridiculous the mum and garter tradition may seem to outsiders. It's a part of the culture here in Texas, and as long as it is, we want to find ways that students who may not go on a date to the dance or attend the game with friends can be part of the festivities.
So students cut ribbon, create braids, organize materials, staple, glue and glitter, but it's more than just a showy display. It creates community, starts conversations and raises awareness of the need to include. It may seem insignificant, but mountains are moved one bucket of glitter at a time.