AWARDS: Christian Academy pupils club continues to grow

April 24, 2008 06:07 pm

— The CASE Club
• SCHOOL: Christian Academy of Western New York
• ADVISER: Cindy Lichtenberger
• WHAT THEY’RE ABOUT: Students who are awarded for being good helpers
• CASE STANDS FOR: Christian Action Serving Anyone

Students making a CASE to help anywhere

Looking for elementary students who want to help people? Well then Christian Academy of Western New York in Lockport is on the CASE.
CASE stands for Christian Action Serving Everyone, and the students involved in the club are from kindergarten through fifth grade at CAWNY. The kids look for anyway they can provide a service or help at home or at schools.
“They focus on helping others and they’re encouraged to reach out,” said Cindy Lichtenberger of CAWNY.
CASE began as an award given to students. It started in September 2006, with a winner being chosen every month. A “record of service” went home with students, who had to keep track of every time they helped somebody. The person they helped had to sign the record to verify it. Second grader April Chambers was the first CASE winner.
Lichtenberger said the club grew to nine members who each have won the CASE award. There are repeat winners, but there has also been an increase in the number of students submitting records. Even though it is a growing club, they do lose members when they reach sixth grade.
Each member has to keep track of the amount of time they help out or volunteer. Everyone who wins the CASE award and becomes a part of the club receives a pin and a handbook, the Adventure Bible. The group meets twice a month to share what people have been helped and create plans for who and how the members would like to help in the future.
“It starts a pattern and it’s a way for them to learn to be helpful,” Lichtenberger said.
The club also has a “news teller” who spreads the news of the club to the rest of the school. The CASE kids also have done special things such as buying and wrapping presents for Operation Christmas Child, which gives presents to needy children, and making necklaces for people in the Dominican Republic.
In the past the kids have also made cards for American soldiers, helped out at nursing homes and anywhere they can. First grader Samantha Durfey said she helped shovel and helped her mother unload the dishwasher. Her reason for helping was simple.
“Because it helps them feel good,” Samantha said.
April also shoveled some snow, and she helped do someone’s roof by cleaning up the yard. Marie Potter said she helped her mother by watching her baby brother. Her brother Robbie said he had an idea how to help people at school.
“By encouraging them to help others,” he said.
The CASE club does help students by getting them into the habit of volunteering and helping others. CAWNY has a community service requirement students have to fulfill in order to graduate. And it should become second nature to them, Lichtenberger said.
“We really don’t want to make a big deal. It’s just a normal way of life,” she said.
Contact reporter Joe Olenick
at 439-9222, ext. 6241.

Photos

James Neiss/staff photographer Lockport, NY - Cindy Lichtenberger, principal of Christian Academy of WNY, shares stories with students participating in the ?hristian Actions Serving Everyone?club, from left, Marie Potter, 7, Samantha Durfey, 7, Robbie Potter, 7, Destiny Miller, 8, April Chambers, 8, Matthania Volmy, 10, Anna Rzepa, 11 and Rebecca Volmy, 12. The idea for The CASE CLUB began with a student who wanted to help others, an idea that spread to other students, who formed the group, with the mission to do good for others too.

James Neiss/staff photographer Lockport, NY - Cindy Lichtenberger, principal of Christian Academy of WNY, shares stories with students participating in the ?hristian Actions Serving Everyone?club. The CASE CLUB uses the ?dventure Bible,?Lichtenberger said, because ?ife is an adventure of finding way to help others.?The club began with a student who wanted to help others, an idea that spread to other students, who formed the group, with the mission to do good for others too.