Category: Student Confidence

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2026 HGU Scholarship Spotlight: The Pioneer Pantry

One of the most basic needs we have as humans is the need for food. We simply cannot survive without it. For some families, providing this basic need is a very real, very tough struggle. Our top scholarship winner this year recognized that need in his community. Parker Bohr had been volunteering at his local food bank when it suddenly dissolved in June 2025. What Parker did next is nothing short of amazing.

Parker recently graduated from high school in Mooresville, Indiana. He loves to be active outdoors, spend time with his family and friends, and enjoys studying science and engineering. He will be attending Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in the fall, with plans to major in Mechanical Engineering. 

When the local food pantry dissolved, Parker knew something needed to be done. He began brainstorming ideas, asking questions, and researching the reasons behind food insecurity. Since he had spent some time volunteering in a food pantry, he already had some idea of how a pantry should function. He began by making a website then getting approval from school administrators. His school happened to have an empty classroom with some fridges, freezers, and shelving, as well as a garage-style door that led to a drive through area. This set the stage for the Pioneer Pantry to come to life. 

Parker’s plan was simple: “People would drive up to a designated spot right by the door, we would greet them, they would fill out a Google Form, and we would give them boxes with food according to how many people are in the household. The food pantry would occur at least twice a month, and it would greatly help the community and face the problem of food insecurity head-on.” The dates of the pantry would be advertised to create awareness. There was one other factor to take into account: Parker recognized that many families who experienced food insecurity also struggled with the availability of reliable transportation. Rather than only providing food via the drive through, Parker and his team assembled bags of food to be taken to elementary schools. Students whose families had the need for food would then be able to take the bags home. To collect food, Parker has held food drives at his high school, and a larger food bank has agreed to partner with the Pioneer Pantry to donate food. 

In addition to the pantry serving the community, it has also helped students at the school. Located in the classroom next door to the pantry is a classroom for students with disabilities who are preparing to transition out of high school. With their teacher’s help, these students have the opportunity to help in the pantry. They stock shelves, help box food, and learn other important skills that will serve them as they transition out of high school. 

Parker says that the Pioneer Pantry will be able to continue to serve the community for many years to come. There is another student who will be taking over for him next school year, and the partnership with the food bank will enable the pantry to continue to bless the lives of those in need. 

When asked about the impact he had seen in his community, Parker said that the best part was that, “People that were hungry started to have food in their plates again after the project was in action. People that served realized how food insecurity impacted our community and it was just such a wholesome and wonderful environment in the pantry.” I can only imagine just how cool it was to see the difference it made in the lives of the people he served. Of the impact it had on himself, Parker commented, “It helped me realize just how much I can help others. While working on the food pantry, I realized I felt more fulfilled when I was using the gifts God had given me to provide for His people and help those He loves so dearly.” 

Parker was chosen as our top scholarship recipient this year. This means that in addition to receiving a $10,000 scholarship to go toward his tuition, he will also be receiving a $5,000 grant that will be used by the high school to continue the Pioneer Pantry’s success. 

What an amazing use of talents and resources! Incredible work, Parker. We were truly inspired by your project!

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2026 HGU Scholarship Spotlight: The Recycle & Repurpose Initiative

Issues that concern our planet are issues that impact all of us. It’s easy to sit back and let other people take care of those issues, but many hands make light work, and we all benefit from a healthier planet. One of our scholarship winners really stepped up and tackled a problem that is impacting our planet: proper battery disposal.

Samarah Agrawal recently graduated high school in Virginia. She is a creative thinker who enjoys learning, photography, graphic design, and listening to music. She loves a good brownie sundae (a girl after my own heart!), and enjoys trying new coffee shops with her friends. Samarah will be attending Virginia Tech this fall, with plans to major in Nanomedicine with a minor in Artificial Intelligence. 

Samara’s project starting taking shape when she was just 14. She first thought of the idea for the Repurpose & Recycle Initiative when she read a news story about a garbage truck fire that started because of an improperly disposed of lithium-ion battery. Samarah said, “After that, I started paying attention. I noticed old batteries sitting in kitchen drawers, classrooms, and office cabinets, waiting for someone to decide what to do with them. The more I looked into it, the more I realized the problem wasn’t that people didn’t want to recycle; they just didn’t have an easy way to do it. That was the moment that started my project. I wasn’t interested in telling people they should recycle batteries; I wanted to make it so easy that they actually would, and it’s been amazing to watch one idea create big change in my community.”

As good problem solvers do, Samarah then began asking questions and doing research. She needed to know why people were still throwing batteries in the trash. She soon realized that it wasn’t because they were ignoring the issue, but that they just didn’t know where and how to dispose of their old batteries. There simply weren’t really any convenient disposal options available. Samarah shared, “I moved my focus from raising awareness to creating a system that fit naturally into people’s everyday routines. I built the first collection boxes using my own resources and began reaching out to schools and community organizations to ask if they’d be willing to partner with me. As the project grew, I secured funding through local competitions and community grants, which helped cover the cost of additional collection boxes, educational materials, and expansion to new locations.”

Samarah’s project has been incredibly successful. In addition to creating and placing collection boxes around her community, she has also created a website that provides collection box locations, information on proper battery disposal, and more. She has also created pages on social media to raise awareness and share information, and has created a QR code that she puts on each of the collection boxes. When scanned, the QR code takes users to a Google form where they can give feedback and offer suggestions to improve the project. She has used that feedback to make necessary changes to her boxes and her process. Over the few years she has been running this initiative, Samarah has helped to collect and dispose of over 40,000 batteries! 

Her parents have been a huge support as she has done this project– driving her to drop off boxes, collect batteries, and take them to the proper disposal sites. She has learned that big change can come about by small means, and that good leaders ask questions. Just because she is graduated doesn’t mean the project will stop. She said, “Over the past several months, I’ve been focused on building a future by creating a Battery Recycling Ambassador Team made up of underclassmen who are passionate about service and sustainability. Rather than simply handing the project over, I’ve been developing a transition plan: training students on how to manage collection sites, safely handle and transport batteries, organize outreach events, collect data, and build relationships with community partners. I hope that they’ll not only continue what I’ve started, but also make it even better with their own ideas. I’m also putting together resources they’ll be able to rely on after I leave, including guides, safety procedures, and strategies for maintaining the collection boxes so the project can continue running year after year.” 

What a truly amazing project! Great work, Samarah!

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2026 HGU Scholarship Spotlight: Bilingual Buddies

Inclusion is such a vital part of creating a safe space for everyone. It goes much further than simply noticing someone; inclusion meets people where they are, regardless of race, gender, ability, ethnicity, or difference. One of our scholarship winners took this to heart and saw a great opportunity to make sure everyone felt included at his school. 

Mason Below created the Bilingual Buddies program as a way to help newly immigrated students feel seen and supported. Mason just graduated from high school in Atlanta, Georgia, and will be attending Vanderbilt University as a Chancellor’s Scholar this fall, with the plan to double major in Human & Organizational Development and Latin American Studies. He loves to travel, read, learn new languages, go on long runs, and enjoys playing soccer. His favorite subject is Spanish, and he loves to eat a good plate of sushi– and also enjoys a bag of Doritos as a quick snack. 

When Mason was in middle school, his family moved to Argentina, where he experienced first hand the difficulty of attending school in a place where the language and school traditions were unfamiliar. Upon his return to the states, he noticed many newly immigrated students were experiencing exactly what he had just been through. One night while at a school football game, he noticed many of the newly immigrated students weren’t in attendance. He said, “…These were students I saw every day in the hallways, but they weren’t participating in many of the activities that help students feel connected to our school community. Having attended school in another country and struggled through the experience of learning in a language I didn’t yet speak fluently, I understood how isolating that transition could be. I realized that while schools often provide academic support, there was no system helping students build the social connections and confidence that are equally important to success. That realization eventually became the foundation for Bilingual Buddies.”

Once he had the idea in his mind, he got to work making it a reality. He researched immigration trends in his area and talked with the school counselors, department leaders, school administration, and ESOL teachers to identify what exactly these new students were struggling with the most. Rather than launching a huge project right off the bat, he started small, with a trial run to see if it would be an effective idea. It turned out to be very effective, and continued to grow from there. 

The basis of the project was simple: identify newly immigrated students who needed extra support, then pair them with a student volunteer who spoke their same language. Mason worked closely with school counselors and ESOL teachers to identify students who could serve as buddies, as well as students who had recently moved to the states and needed extra support. Counselors and teachers use a database that helps connect students to a buddy who can help them.

The program has been incredibly successful. Keeping the future in mind, Mason designed and built the program to continue on for years to come. The program already has a student who will take over the program for the next couple of years. He said, “I created volunteer training materials, communication systems, and a database that allows counselors and teachers to quickly connect students with the bilingual volunteers…. Today, Bilingual Buddies includes more than thirty volunteers representing twenty-one languages, creating a broader culture of support and inclusion throughout the school.” 

One of Mason’s favorite success stories from the Bilingual Buddies program was about a student named Omid. Mason shared, “The most rewarding part was seeing students become more confident and engaged.I use this example a lot because it’s one of my favorite stories. One of the first students I worked with was Omid, who had recently arrived from Afghanistan. He was struggling academically and falling behind on assignments when I first met him. Although we didn’t have any volunteers who spoke Dari, his native language, we were able to pair him with a student who spoke Farsi, a closely related language. After being paired with a buddy, everything changed. His attendance improved, he caught up on assignments, and his confidence grew. Stories like his were echoed by feedback from teachers and counselors, who reported improvements in participation, communication, and student engagement.”

Mason said he learned that the best leaders start with listening. He learned to adjust as program needs changed when immigration rates started to decline, and found a way to continue helping the students who needed support. He is grateful for the connections he made and the friendships he gained through this program, and is excited that the program will continue to help students as they integrate into their new surroundings.

Wow! What an incredible project! I can only imagine the incredible impact this program has had, and will continue to have on both the newly immigrated students as well as the buddies they are paired with. Good work, Mason! 

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Thinking Outside the Box

One of my kids’ favorite books is called Not A Box by Antoinette Portis. A small rabbit demonstrates just how many things a simple box can be and proves that it can be anything your imagination allows. “It’s not a box!” has become a favorite saying at our house any time we have an empty box that one of our kids wants to create something with. Kids are so creative and have the best imaginations, and it’s fun to watch what they can come up with. 

You don’t have to have an empty box to get creative, though! Creativity can be sparked with next to nothing. Sometimes all it takes is setting out some paper, scissors, and glue. If you’re feeling adventurous, you might throw in an empty paper towel tube, some string, or even some pipe cleaners/chenille stems. I’ve even handed my kids a paper with just a few different lines on it, and they’ve turned those lines into a masterpiece. Simply put, you really don’t have to go crazy to give kids an opportunity to get creative. It really doesn’t take a lot. 

My kids have all had the same kindergarten teacher, and she has a “creation station” set up in her room. In it are bins of scrap paper, stickers, strings, etc. that are open for students to use. My kids have come home with the coolest creations that they’ve made. If you have space in your classroom, perhaps you might consider setting up your own version of a creation station. It doesn’t need to be fancy, but it would give students a place to create. If space is limited, or you have older students who might not be interested in gluing and taping paper together, consider providing some other kinds of creative outlets– coloring pages, color by number, origami, and so forth. You can also print off the circle and line art pages below and have them available for students to use. Or, if you’re a parent and need something to entertain your kiddos this summer, print off the pages and see what they come up with! You could even give it a try yourself!

Creativity is so important. Our brains were made to imagine, create, and problem solve. If we foster that natural need early on, and continue to do so, just imagine what kinds of amazing outcomes we will see! 

** These worksheets are for classroom or personal use only. Do not resell, re-post, or claim as your own. **

Circle and Line ArtDownload
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Once Upon A Time…

Story time might be the best time! Hear me out: your teacher calls you over to the rug, you sit criss-cross applesauce on your assigned circle, and you cozy in, ready to hear a story. As your teacher reads, she does different voices for each character, and suddenly the story has come alive, and you feel like you’re right there with the characters. It’s magical, and a core part of childhood. 

Happiness isn’t the only benefit that comes from being read to, though it certainly is a great one! Reading out loud to kids can help them in so many ways. These include:

  • Boosted brain development
  • Stronger vocabulary
  • Stronger social and emotional skills
  • Improved listening skills and focus
  • Stronger bonds between the reader and the audience
  • Reduced stress

Boosted Brain Development

When kids are read to, different parts of the brain are activated than are when they are reading independently and silently. Listening and making sense of what is being heard creates unique neural pathways, and causes the brain to really focus on what is being said.

Stronger Vocabulary

Reading in and of itself is a great vocabulary builder, but when students are read to, it gives them a chance to hear a new word, then immediately ask for a definition. They recognize that they don’t know the word, then take initiative to figure out what it means. This new word then gets added to their “words they know” list for them to practice using as they become stronger readers.

Stronger Social and Emotional Skills

When students can relate to characters in the stories that are read to them, their social and emotional skills are strengthened. They begin to gain empathy, and can learn that there are other people who feel the same feelings they feel. Students can see different social skills in action in stories– how to be kind, how to include others, good manners, etc., and can use the stories to recognize similar situations in their own lives. True text-to-self connections are made!

Improved Listening Skills and Focus

Listening and focusing are two separate skills that must both be engaged in order for students to get the most benefit from being read to. The brain will make connections as both skills are activated, thus helping students to make sense of what they are hearing. 

Stronger Bonds Between Reader and Audience

When a reader makes the story come alive by using different voices, inflections, and body language, it changes the whole atmosphere in the room. The audience is drawn into the story and becomes entranced by the magic of it. When the listeners become involved with the story, they start to form a trust and bond with the reader. Think about when you were a small child, and your favorite adult would pull you onto their lap, and you would snuggle in and listen to a story– there is a certain bond that comes through this. While teachers cannot pull all students onto their laps, they can still use literature to connect with their classes.

Reduced Stress

For some students, reading out loud to others can create feelings of stress and anxiety. They worry about messing up and saying words wrong, or if they are reading too slow or too fast. When they are read to, however, those stressors disappear. They can simply sit and listen to the story without fear of misspeaking. Even if a student isn’t bothered by reading out loud themselves, having the chance to be read to is such a calming, relaxing activity. Perhaps this is why so many adults enjoy listening to audio books!

I’m certain that there are other benefits that come from being read to, and I’m sure we could explore the above listed benefits even deeper. But the truth remains the same: reading is powerful and is incredibly beneficial to readers of all ages!

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What I Wish I Would Have Said…

The end of the school year always has me feeling all sorts of sentimental and reminiscent. I think about all the growth and learning that has happened over the course of the school year, both by students and by teachers. The people walking out of the school doors on the last day of school are not the same people that walked in on the first day of school. I think back to my own students, and remember the happiness that came as I thought about how far they’d come over the year. It truly was one of those “pay day” moments as a teacher! Now, as a parent, I get to see the growth and change in my own children. It’s incredible to see, and it makes me even more grateful for their amazing teachers who put so much time into planning and carrying out lessons and activities to foster that growth. 

I think of the seniors graduating this year, getting ready to step out into the “real world” and be contributing members of society. No doubt some of them are ready to tackle this new chapter of their lives, while some are a little less ready. It’s a big change, going from high school to adulthood. There are a lot of lessons to be learned, a lot of life to be lived, and a lot of choices to be made. I remember my own graduation day, and the mixed emotions of excitement, relief, uncertainty, and nervousness as I officially left high school behind. 

I never taught seniors, so I was fortunate enough to have my students return to the school the next year, which meant I could still see them and say hi in the halls. Even though my students weren’t graduating, they were still leaving my classroom and moving on to a new chapter of their lives, and it was always a bittersweet moment. I wish I would have taken the chance to tell them a few things before they left my room for the last time. Of course I’d wish them a good, fun summer and remind them to stop by next year and say hi. But what I wish I would have done was to remind them of how amazing they are. Since I didn’t do a great job at it while I was teaching, I thought I’d say it now, because somewhere out there is a student who needs to hear this, and if it inspires even just one teacher to remind students of their greatness, then it’s worth it to me!

To my students as they leave my classroom:

There are a few things I want to make sure you know about yourself, in case no one’s ever told you. But you need to hear it, because what I’m about to say is the truth!

I hope you know how smart you are, and that you are smart in your own way. Your mind is capable of thinking, imagining, creating, and analyzing, and there are no limits to how far those abilities will take you!

I hope you know that you matter. That you weren’t just a warm body in my classroom or a name on my attendance sheet. You are an individual, with unique talents and gifts. Your voice matters. Learn to use it wisely.

I hope you know that you are not the mistakes you have made, nor are you the mistakes that you are yet to make. A mistake is just that– a mistake. It’s a bump in the road, but if used correctly, can teach you and change you. We all make mistakes, but those mistakes do not define us. 

I want you to know that you are filled with so much potential. I see it in you every time you step foot in my room. You’re going to do great things, I just know it. 

It’s important that you know that you have the power and right to choose for yourself. You get to choose what you want to be, the kind of person and friend that you are, and who you allow into your circle of people. Choose wisely.

I hope you know what a difference you have made in my life, and in the lives of those around you. Your influence reaches farther than you think.

I hope you know that my classroom is always a safe place, and you are always welcome here. If you need help, reach out. If I can’t help solve the problem, I will help you find someone who can, and will make sure you are okay.

I want you to know that I will always be your cheerleader, and that I will always encourage you and push you to be your best. I will celebrate your wins with you, and mourn your losses with you. 

I want you to know that you have so much to offer. Someone needs you– your talents, your opinion, your advice, or your brilliant mind.

And lastly, but certainly not least, I want you to know that you are loved. That you have filled a space in my heart that will forever be changed because of you. So if you don’t hear it from anyone else in your life, know that I care about you and love you– you are amazing and I can’t wait to see the incredible things you will do in your life!

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Helping Students Communicate

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been doing a series of posts about the 7 Cs of education. So far I’ve covered Critical Thinking, Creativity, and Collaboration. Each ‘C’ is useful on its own, but can also be very effective when combined with other ‘Cs’. Today’s ‘C’ is, I think, one of the most important of the 7 Cs: Communication. 

The ability to effectively communicate is such an important skill for kids to learn, especially in today’s world where there are so many different ways to communicate. The art of in person communication seems to be dwindling as digital forms of communication are rapidly developing and changing. And yet, it is still such an important skill to have. Students need to learn how to speak with another individual face to face, as it will help them immensely as they go out into the world, interview for jobs, work with coworkers, and so forth. 

Since we do live in such a digital world, it’s also crucial that we teach our students how to communicate through the various digital means available. They ought to know when it’s appropriate to use “lazy”/slang text versus when they ought to be more formal. Students will inevitably have to communicate with bosses, coworkers, or other adults via email, and knowing how to properly format an email will come in handy. 

Another important aspect of communication is teaching kids to be able to effectively communicate their wants and needs, and learning when it would be appropriate and inappropriate to express those various things. For example, students can learn that while the class is taking a test might not be the best time to loudly announce they need to use the restroom. On the other hand, they can learn that watching their classmates play a sport would be an appropriate time and place to use a louder voice to communicate their excitement and encouragement. 

The methods in which we teach our students how to communicate can come in all shapes and sizes. It will vary from one content area to another. It doesn’t matter how we go about teaching it, only that we are finding ways to encourage and promote healthy communication amongst our students. Below are a few ways you might consider bringing and/or modeling communication practice into your curriculum:

  • Write-Pair-Share: After students answer a “question of the day” or class opener of some sort, have them share responses with a neighbor. Encourage them to talk to someone new each time you ask them to do this.
  • Give an assignment where students exchange emails with another student. 
  • Have students practice interviewing others.
  • Assign students to email a business, using proper formatting and word choice.
  • During group discussions, provide a “talking piece”. Only the student who has possession of the talking piece can speak. This encourages students to listen and to exercise self control while waiting for their turn to speak.
  • Teach about and practice using proper body language– many kids don’t realize just how much body language can communicate.
  • Help students in your class learn their classmates’ names. Doing this helps them to be able to clearly communicate when they are speaking with someone.
  • Make your classroom a safe space. Students are more likely to effectively communicate their needs, opinions, and input if they feel like what they say will matter.
  • Establish a communication system early on. Will you use school email to keep students and parents informed? Will you use a communication app like Remind, Bloomz, ParentSquare, or ClassDojo? Whatever you choose to use, be consistent with it so that students and parents will know where they can go to keep up to date with classroom happenings as well as to contact you if they have questions.

Teaching and practicing effective communication within the classroom is essential for a smooth running classroom. It helps students have a clear idea of what to do, what is expected, and helps them feel seen and heard. In addition to these things, it teaches students how to be effective communicators, thus setting them up for success in all areas of their lives.