The Park Forest Kiwanis Club Extends a Helping Hand to CHSD170's Garfield School

Mrs. Katie Baggerly’s fourth-grade class at Garfield School recently welcomed members of the Park Forest Kiwanis Club to thank them for adopting the room and supplying the students with classroom materials and athletic supplies.

Verniece Johnson-Warren and Calvin Brandon visited the class to explain their reason for sponsoring the class, and to describe the goals of the Kiwanis Club.

“I have worked as a teacher for many years, including serving as a substitute teacher at Garfield School,” Johnson-Warren explained.

“I know, too well, the needs that many students face, as well as the ways in which teachers use their money to provide needed goods for their students. We, at the Kiwanis Club of Park Forest, are making an effort to help in those situations.”

Baggerly and Johnson-Warren have been friends for years, and the idea of helping the classroom was fomented when Baggerly recently spoke at a Kiwanis meeting.

“I talked about our school and district,” Baggerly said, “and discussed many of the issues faced by our students.”

“After that presentation, the club offered to adopt our classroom and help acquire various materials that would enhance our learning experience.”

“I would like to thank Mrs. Johnson-Warren, Mr. Brandon, and all of the members of the Park Forest Kiwanis Club for their kind gesture of assistance to Mrs. Baggerly’s fourth-grade students,” said Garfield School Principal Maricela Ruiz.

“The gesture goes beyond providing supplies and materials; it reflects the commitment of the Kiwanis Club to helping the communities it serves.”