Outreach to Teach makes big impact
04/13/2016

The Indiana Student Education Association (ISEA) hosted Outreach to Teach at Oakland Elementary School in Lafayette on April 9. Outreach to Teach is a one-day event that rewards a deserving public school with a makeover.

Oakland Elementary School was chosen as this year’s Outreach to Teach project following a years-long closure and a conversion to an alternative high school. 

This was the largest volunteer effort to date for Outreach to Teach! Nearly 300 volunteers completed projects including landscaping, murals, painting, furniture installation and more!

It was truly a community event. The Mayor of Lafayette, local legislators, the Lafayette Fire Department, trade unions, the Manchester University football team and more came out to lend a hand at Outreach to Teach.

Two Outreach to Teach super volunteers were Donnie Dunville and Davies Bellamy, both from the University of Evansville. Dunville and Bellamy dedicated a full week to prepare Oakland before the big volunteer push on Saturday. ISEA President Layne Lumley and Vice President Mikaela Gerba recognized both with a certificate.  

Oakland Elementary Principal Matt Rhoda was touched by the work the volunteers completed in such a short timeframe. Students returned to school on Monday with a revitalized school that felt more like an elementary school.

Before and after photos of two projects at Oakland Elementary. The teacher work room went from drab to organized, and adult-sized furniture, painting and new blinds brightened the teacher lounge.

 View more photos from Outreach to Teach on Flickr.