Coshocton Elementary School spends October collecting socks
COSHOCTON – For the second year in a row, the kindergarten class at Coshocton Elementary was announced the winner of this year’s Socktober. But the friendly competition among the grades wasn’t about winning or losing. It was about providing socks for needy children and adults in the city of Coshocton.
This marks the second year for Socktober and the school set a goal of collecting 1,500 pairs of socks, which they exceeded tremendously. The elementary school collected 1,910 pairs of socks and gave them to charitable organizations during a special assembly on Monday, Nov. 21.
“They’re just awesome,” said Laura Grogro, school counsellor. “The kids are just awesome. Most of our kids can’t afford much, but that doesn’t matter to them. They just want to help out as much as they can. To have them donate so many socks is just awesome.”
The students presented the socks to Shepherd’s Christian Assembly, New Life Ministries, Chestnut Hill Crossing, Park United Methodist Church, and Grace United Methodist Church.
The program collaborated perfectly with the school’s “Be a Light” theme which is part of their Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support program, a federal program that has been implemented in more than 23,000 schools nation-wide.
“They have embraced that (the program),” said Grogro. “They really enjoy it.”
Last year, the school also surpassed its goal for collecting socks and to celebrate, students taped both Principal Dave Skelton and Assistant Principal John Casey to the wall. This year, the two school administrators promised that if the students reached their goal, they would ride around the cafeteria on tricycles.
“If the kids meet their goal, Mr. Skelton and I do something,” said Casey. “We try to make it fun for them.”
Casey was also dressed for the occasion as Purplelicious Man, which is a celebration of the Purplelicious Party that is held every month for kindergarteners who exhibit good behavior.
However, he couldn’t quite fit comfortably on the tricycle, but Skelton made some modifications to his so that he could ride it around the cafeteria.
“It was fun because we modified the tricycle so that I could get my feet on the pedals,” said Skelton. “We took the seat off and I sat on one of the back steps.”
But Skelton was caught speeding through the hallways and was stopped by Resource Officer Corder.
But putting all the fun aside, Skelton said how proud he is of the elementary students for their willingness to help out less-fortunate children in Coshocton.
“It’s not because we got in approximately 2,000 pairs of socks,” he said. “But because we have a population at Coshocton Elementary School with roughly 80 to 90 percent at poverty level. When you have the majority of socks brought in by a large percentage of students, knowing that, that’s what makes me proud. It boils down to the parents and children. The staff and I encouraged them, but this was their project. They made this happen.”
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