For seventeen years Mrs. Marilyn Curtis, a teacher at Philip W. Sugg Middle School in Lisbon, has been teaching her students what giving back really means. Mrs. Curtis has incorporated community services into the curriculum and has taught good life skills to her students. Her community service projects with students in her classroom started in 1990.

Her most recent community service has been sending cards and pictures to the soldiers in Iraq. To date, the class has made over one hundred and fifty cards for the soldiers. That has included each student participating in twenty-five hours of volunteering so far this year. Students are also making cards for the local policemen and firemen.

The services students are performing aren’t just enjoyable for the people receiving them. PWS student Sam Wood commented that “It’s fun and it helps the community.” Another student, Megan Kiel said that “Everything we do makes a difference.” And is she right. Mrs. Curtis loves doing community services “It makes me feel good inside.”

As an Advocate Staff reporter, I am a former student in Mrs. Curtis’ class. It was an amazing experience for me to assist with the community service projects. It made me more determined to make a difference in peoples’ lives and it had a great affect on me. Mrs. Curtis’ class helped inspire me to take action in giving back and volunteering my time. Hopefully, other students will be as inspired by the work Mrs. Curtis does throughout the year (just like I was) and students will learn the value of offering assistance for the greater good.

Another Philip W. Sugg student, Emma Randall, enjoys volunteering in a number of capacities. She has a real knack for offering her assistance wherever needed. Emma’s assistance was extremely instrumental in cards and pictures community service project. According to Emma “Mrs. Curtis has high hopes to do a variety of giving back more to the community during this school year. Her future plans are for students to help with the local animal shelters and senior citizen homes.”