We Can Change the World-Emergency Tubs ,Gaga Ball,

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     This cornerstone began as a health and safety concentration. The four sixth grade leadership students wanted to insure that each classroom had a first aid/emergency supply tub, and that each classroom had a backpack with health and safety items in it. This process took quite a while. For the first few months of school the boys went from classroom to classroom to inventory each tub and backpack. We had these basic items in each room, but tubs were in need of new supplies and safety items. They had a checklist and completed their inventory in one-two months. The next step was to try and ask for donations and fund raise money to replace items needed. They developed a note to go home to parents that asked for various items needed:

             first aid kits, gloves, water, flash lights, batteries, solar blankets, snacks for 30,

            activities for students, trash bags, toilet paper, baby wipes,  

            antibacterial soap, cups, and battery powered radio.

       These were the items on their inventory list, and needed to restock the tubs and backpacks. By January, they had little donations. We then had a whole school assembly to share all our cornerstones. When the Health and Fitness group did their skit, they acted out how to do first aid on a hurt student, and how to be safe in an earthquake drill. These skits went over well with the students and staff. They then got on the agenda for a PTA meeting. When presenting their proposal they were give a great idea by one of the parents. The school would do a fundraiser at a local restuarant and have a percentage of the sales go to the emergency tub fund. If people donated an item on the list they got entered in a raffle for a pizza party with 5 friends. This was a huge success! With these funds the teacher and students were able to buy supplies to stock all classroom emergency tubs, backpacks, and 2 tubs and a e-z up canopy for the playground and field.

     The other focus of this group was fitness. The school and community have shared their resources and we have begun to offer different fitness activities at recess and Physical Education time. Our sixth grade goes to their camp at Toyon Bay on Santa Catalina Island. Along with getting an education in marine science the students had many activities to engage in during free time. One of their favorite games was "Gaga Ball". This fast moving game involves a ball, court, and up to 30 players. The students enjoyed this game so much that when they returned they began a campaign to get a court built at our school. This task became more involved than we expected. The four sixth grade leadership boys searched the internet for designs, and cost. They found what they needed and began to ask their fathers about building the court. With money raised from hot chocolate sales the group had enough money to buy materials.

The students did a major fund raiser at our local restuarant, The Jolly Kone. There was a donation of 20% of tshe sales by the owners to our court. The sixth grade students also made extra money by having community members pay to have them kiss a pig, eat anchovies, brush their teeth with mustard, and three boys even shaved their heads! It was this fund raiser that made the funds necessary to build the court. On June 1st, 2013, the GaGa ball court was built by the four students and their fathers. This game is now very popular at recess, with every grade. We let 30 students into the court at a time to play, and there are 100 students lined up to play! We are so grateful to have the sixth graders donate this court and game for future students of Meiners Oaks Elementary.

     The other fitness activities included a Meiners Oaks parent, Tami Holland, bringing a Flash Mob Dance for Gangam Style to our school. The goal was to perform the dance at our Open House. She invited the local high school dance class to come over and perform it for the third-sixth graders. Then they broke the students into teams to teach the dance to each grade level. This was a successful day, and soon students were getting lessons in P.E. class. Tami kept up the contact and tried to teach the sixth grade student leadership team and any other students who wanted to learn. As a community fitness goal we are excited to present it to our school community at the end of May. The dance was a success, and the sixth graders did a wonderful job of performing it in front of the families and friends at Open House. The other students and staff joined in and completed the flash mob.

     The last fitness goal was to follow up on tennis lessons the fourth and fifth graders received from a local tennis school. They came for a few weeks to teach the game to the students. When the lessons were over the students had no where to practice what they had learned. With this need the four student leadership boys began setting up two tennis courts on Mondays of each week. This became very popular on Mondays and with the effort of the leadership team, this was successful. Now on Thursdays the leadership team is setting up a volleyball court on the grass. Many of the students have been joining a local club volleyball team, and this proved to be a good sport to set up next.

The goal of this team was health and safety first and then to provide many opportunities for students to become and remain active, this cornerstone was very successful, and the building of the GaGa Court was the most impressive accomplishment.