(PHOTO BY SAMANTHA N. STRIPE / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
BUILDING A REPUTATION … Wauseon High School Guidance Counselor Terri Westfall (left) and English Teacher Jamie Heath lead a Kindness Project as part of the school’s 180 Days: Building a Reputation theme.
By: Samantha N. Stripe
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
Dependability. Integrity. Diligence. Grit. Empathy. These words are the backbone of the 180 Days: Building a Reputation theme at Wauseon High School, a project that challenges students to develop and build a positive character with these five pillars in mind.
“You have 180 days of school to build that reputation each school year,” said high school guidance counselor Terri Westfall.
“Each school year is a new fresh beginning. What are you doing to build your reputation throughout the school, including these five pillars?”
The brainchild of high school English teacher Jamie Heath, planning for the program began in the spring of 2024 with a committee of five teachers, grew to the whole staff and then developed from ideas to completion with the start of the 2024-2025 school year.
“As we were getting together to figure out our [180 Days] presentation to the students, we got to talking about service-learning projects and how it would be so good for the kids to work on a problem together…if we could get them out in the community, doing things,” Heath said.
The high school students were then introduced to the initiative grade-by-grade, introducing them to what community service looks like.
As part of the program, students then had the opportunity to choose from one of 28 different community service programs to participate in and focus on throughout all 180 days of school.
“We have a socio-emotional program…which is mandated by the state,” said Westfall. “This is one component that we wanted to add to that; that students learn the importance of community service and helping other people in your school, in your community [and] where you live,”
Called the Kindness Project, program options range from providing free feminine products wellness packs to female middle school students, to writing letters to deployed military soldiers and even helping local senior citizens with their yardwork.
Teachers then chose a project that they wanted to direct, with the goal of being a mentor to the students involved.
On the first Wednesday of each month the students participate in their Kindness Project, from brainstorming ideas to get the project off the ground to engaging in the community service itself.
One Kindness Project that Heath and Westfall lead focuses on helping the local event Beauty Comes From The Heart, spearheaded by Lori King, coordinator and founder.
Started in 2013, Beauty Comes From The Heart provides new and gently used formalwear for a free will donation and is held at the West Clinton Mennonite Church throughout the year. Prom dresses, suits and even jewelry and shoes are available to the public.
The monetary donations are then in turn used to assist victims of sex trafficking, assault and abuse in northwest Ohio through the charitable organization Survivor Outreach Support (S.O.S.), Westfall said.
Some of the Wauseon students began brainstorming a similar idea when they learned about Beauty Comes From The Heart.
Instead of starting from scratch, they reached out to King so that they could volunteer for the scheduled event. They held a clothing drive and donated dresses and suits, helped with advertising, set-up and even worked on the day of the event.
“The students who came to help me with setting up for Beauty Comes From The Heart/Prom Edition 2025’s first event were such a blessing to me,” said King in an email.
“As coordinator I was so glad for extra hands with setting out the shoes on tables, hanging up jewelry and getting materials ready for participants who come and find a dress or suit. [The]…Kindness Project is so amazing!”
While it’s satisfying for the staff to see the students involved in community service, students are also enjoying being part of something bigger.
PHOTO PROVIDED / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
HYGIENE PACKS PROJECT … In one Kindness Project, students created feminine hygiene packs for middle school students. Students were able to choose a Kindness Project to participate in at the beginning of the school year, which encourages them to get involved in community service activities.
“It’s nice being involved in things around the community, especially because a lot of high school students don’t get involved in things in Wauseon,” said Allie Hatzer, a Wauseon High School junior, whose chosen Kindness Project is Beauty Comes From The Heart.
“It’s good to get these kids involved in things like this,” she added. “I’m glad that I was able to be a part of it; it’s a really cool thing that we’re doing.”
There are plans to continue the 180 Days theme and its Kindness Project into the next year. Some of the projects might change, said Westfall, as some were harder to implement than others. Still, the value of community service is evident.
“I think with social media today, it’s so easy for kids to hide behind their phones and devices and not have to be accountable for things they say and do,” she said.
“Being compassionate for others is just a huge value that we can teach kids as they go through high school and on into life. I think through the service learning we’ve been able to do that with some kids. It can only get better next year.”