Batesville-area Students Create Videos to Promote March 20 Fundraiser for Single Parent Students
ASPSF visited Eagle Mountain Elementary School to review the final juggling videos on Feb. 26. From left: EAST® Initiative Facilitator Andrea Weaver, Laiken Lee, ASPSF Chief Communications Officer Jen Lawrence, ASPSF scholarship recipient Ariel Craft, Emma Landers, Emmy Gitz, and ASPSF Program Manager Joy Smith.
ASPSF visited Sulphur Rock Elementary School to review their video and map projects on Feb. 26. From right: ASPSF Program Manager Joy Smith, ASPSF Chief Communications Officer Jen Lawrence, along with students and EAST® Facilitator Jenine Ottaway.
Single parents juggle every day — figuratively, of course — balancing work, parenting, finances, and more on their own.
Recognizing this, nonprofit Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund (ASPSF) issued the Single Parent Juggling Challenge as part of its March 20 fundraiser, Day of Giving, held in honor of National Single Parent Day. Students from Batesville School District stepped up and took on the challenge of throwing and catching balls.
Fifth-graders Emmy Gitz, Emma Landers, and Laiken Lee of Eagle Mountain Elementary School created five compilation juggling videos. Under the guidance of EAST® Facilitator Andrea Weaver, the girls filmed their classmates, teachers, and others attempting to juggle: aspsfday.org/juggling.
“It has been such an honor to make these videos,” Emmy, Emma, and Laiken wrote in an email. “We have had such a wonderful time making them, and learned so much while working on these videos!”
Throughout the day on March 20, Arkansans are encouraged to participate virtually by donating at aspsfday.org or engaging with Single Parent Juggling Challenge by sharing their own juggling attempt with the hashtag #ASPSFDayofGiving. The goal is to raise $45,000 to fund 28 full-time scholarships, helping single parents continue their education while supporting their families.
“I was so excited when Ms. Weaver reached out last fall, saying that the girls wanted to help with the Single Parent Juggling Challenge,” ASPSF Chief Communications Officer Jen Lawrence said. “The final videos turned out amazing! The students printed logos for the background and added fun special effects to make the juggling even more fun!”
Weaver shared that Emmy, Emma, and Laiken gained valuable skills in marketing, branding, and video editing. EAST is a service-based elective course offered in K-12 schools partnered with EAST® Initiative. The experience incorporates service and technology in the classroom by encouraging students to solve real issues their community faces through 3D printing, digital media, GIS mapping, coding, and more.
ADDITIONAL COLLABORATION
ASPSF also partnered with EAST students from Sulphur Rock Elementary School for two other projects under the instruction of EAST Facilitator Jenine Ottaway.
Fifth graders Aubrey Scribner and Max Pierson created a new video that explains how single parents can qualify for the scholarship: https://youtu.be/Bg7Y7-ClFfk?si=elKW9fUbI4Vu_Xct
Another group of fifth graders, including Cohen Hill, Ruby Morrow, Lyla Beth Hughes, and Wyatt Conyers, are developing an interactive map that will share stories, photos, and videos of ASPSF alumni.
Single parents who received a scholarship since 1990 are encouraged to fill out this survey to help the students complete the map: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/f3eb9aa582d64c5e9f67db68fe38c688.
EAST students from Sulphur Rock are also working on projects for the Little Rock Zoo. One group has even designed a sippy cup holder to attach to a walker for a local child with a disability.
For more information about ASPSF, connect with Jen Lawrence at jlawrence@aspsf.org or 501.550.6304. For more information about EAST, contact Luke Story at 501.371.5021
