The Superintendent’s Student Advisory Board met for a special community service project Wednesday, February 19th. Before beginning the project, Dr. McCord shared where the idea and passion originated.

In February of 2017, Dr. McCord’s mom became ill and was admitted to in-patient hospice care. When the family arrived at the hospice facility, they were given a blanket. Attached to this blanket was a note of encouragement.

“Often a family lives hundreds of miles away from their loved one and shows up to the facility with nothing,” said Dr. McCord. “Then, it is difficult to leave because those moments are precious. You know, the patient already has a blanket on their bed, so it is more of a gift for the family. It just meant so much to me when we received one.”

This blanket made an impact on Dr. McCord and she wanted to give back what was given to her. For three years now, the Student Advisory Board has made blankets as a community service project. Each year they have been donated to a different cause. This year the blankets were donated to the UMC Cancer Center.

The Student Advisory Board consists of 21 high school students made up of all four classifications. The board meets every six weeks and helps Dr. McCord get a pulse of the high school.

Students who serve on the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Board apply in 8th grade. The application review committee selects six representatives to serve on the board, two from each middle school. Once the students are selected for the Student Advisory Board, they begin serving their freshman year and throughout their entire high school career.

With tears in her eyes, Dr. McCord expressed her passion for the Student Advisory Board, “I look forward to and thoroughly enjoy meeting with the Student Advisory Board every six weeks. It is one of my favorite things to do as Superintendent.”