[StBernard] Chalmette Elementary students take K-Kids pledge to community: Chalmette Matters

[Westley Annis]

Chalmette Elementary students take K-Kids pledge to community: Chalmette
Matters
Print Annette Phillips By Annette Phillips 
on January 16, 2014 at 6:41 AM, updated January 16, 2014 at 6:42 AM

 "I promise to serve my neighborhood and my school; I will show respect
toward my environment; and I will try to make the world a better place in
which to live."  Kiwanis' Kids, "K-Kids" pledge.

Chalmette Elementary School's K-Kids are working each day to fulfill this
pledge.

"K-Kids is an international student-led organization," said Jamie Wattigney,
K-Kids co-moderator. "It provides students with opportunities to serve the
community. This club gives students the opportunity to develop leadership
skills."

The K-Kids club is comprised of third, fourth and fifth grade students
recommended by their teachers, who are committed to making their community a
better place. Students meet monthly to work on different service projects or
events.

K-Kids participate in services such as assisting the elderly with chores or
organizing community food drives. They also serve their schools by raising
funds for different needs.

"The K-Kid members elect officers, and think about community and school
needs," said Mary Collins, K-Kids Sponsor. "They also plan service and
fundraising projects. It gives them a way to develop good citizenship
qualities."

Collins is on the board of directors for the Kiwanis Club.

"I am a part of the board that sponsors the K-Kids, Builders and Key Clubs
for schools throughout St. Bernard Parish," she said. "The K-Kids Club is
the reason I joined the Kiwanis. It is about helping the kids to improve
their community through helping others."

Chalmette Elementary K-Kids is a very active and involved group, Collins
said. The most recent fundraising event gives testimony to how dedicated the
members are to serving others. This past holiday season the K-Kids raised
money for St. Jude's Research Hospital, and also helped to brighten the day
of sick children at Children's Hospital in New Orleans.

"For the past four years we have been teaming up with Jared's Galleria of
Jewelry," Wattigney said. "Money raised from selling plush, stuffed 'Reese'
or 'Rudy' animals help St. Jude's Hospital find cures to fight cancer and
other deadly diseases."

The moderators decided to allow the purchasers to donate the animals back to
the school to be sent to Children's Hospital.

"The students were really excited to be selling the plush animals,"
Wattigney said. "They really wanted to be able to have plenty donated back
to give to the sick children at Children's Hospital."

Collins said in the last three years the K-Kids have sold over seven hundred
bears.

"More than half were donated to Children's Hospital, the new St. Bernard
Parish Hospital and other worthy organizations," she said. "In just a few
years the club has raised about five thousand dollars to go to St. Jude's."

Children's Hospital of New Orleans was grateful for this year's donation of
30 bears.

"Your donation helped to make the Holiday Season a joyous and memorable one
for many of our young patients," said Roger Gorman, Director of Development
at Children's Hospital. "It is a gift that will be valued not only in the
amount of money it represents, but also as an invaluable gift of love for
others."

K-Kids and other service clubs are about helping kids understand the value
of service to others.

"Especially after Katrina, the K-Kids at AJ Elementary and CES had been
through a lot," Collins said. "But still understood that there were others
that needed more than they did. Getting these kids together creates an
environment that makes them feel that they can do anything."

Annette writes about people, places, and events in Chalmette. Send Chalmette
stories to Annette at chalmettematterstp at gmail.com or call 504.250.6248.