Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School students share the love in February!
More than 50 students at OLHMS participated in the Hershey Heartwarming Project: “Launched in 2019, The Heartwarming Project’s Action Grants Program supports young people who are advancing inclusion, empathy, kindness and connection in their schools and communities,” the company said.
The entire project was created by the students of OLHMS. These thoughtful students chose 13 different books written or illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. Mrs. Heather McCarthy, OLHMS Media Specialist, explained that Peter H. Reynolds’ books emphasize making the world a better place with themes focused on empathy, patience, joy, confidence, and resilience.
Mrs. McCarthy gave students the opportunity to use the Mustang Recording Studio and the green screen to create their projects for the children at Advocate Hope Children’s Hospital in Oak Lawn, Illinois. Students recorded themselves reading the books and shared an activity that followed the storyline of the book such as meditation, art projects, yoga, poetry, and crafts. All of this was done using QR codes in which patients at Hope Advocate could scan and listen to the story and do the activity.
Patrick Elwood, from Chicago’s Very Own WGN Channel 9 News, heard about the incredible work happening at OLHMS and had to take the opportunity to feature these wonderful scholars and Mrs. McCarthy. You can watch the news report here.
The Reporter Newspaper, a Southwest Regional Publishing newspaper, featured this heartwarming story. You can read the newspaper article here.
