Highland Middle School To Raise Funds For Lamb's Farm

LIBERTYVILLE, IL – Highland Middle School students and staff have selected local Lambs Farm as this year’s schoolwide charity. Lamb’s Farm is a non-profit organization that provides vocational and residential services for more than 250 adults with developmental disabilities located just outside of Libertyville, according to a District 70 news release. Throughout the year, Highland Middle School students and staff will work to raise money for the group.

Last year, the schoolwide fundraiser raised $10,000 for the Benkadi Project to bring clean drinking water to Guinea West Africa.

“This is the seventh year we have selected a schoolwide charity that students and staff will spend all year raising money for,” said Highland Middle School Principal Dr. Jon Hallmark. “Last year, we began tying the charity in with the books we have students read over the summer, through our Highland Reads program. This year we added a professional development piece for teachers and students by bringing in Design Thinking.

“Both of novels featured problems that needed to be addressed and Design Thinking helps us organize ideas and solutions and create plans of action.”

Over the summer, Highland students could read either Breakthrough: How One Teen Innovator is Changing the World by Jack Andraka or Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World by Sy Montgomery. Inventor and author Andraka actually came to the school and spoke to all the students.

“Temple Grandin has autism and we know some Lambs Farm residents are autistic, so we are tying the books to fundraising,” Hallmark noted.

An animal science expert Grandin designed equipment to help with livestock handling and transport. She used Design Thinking, Hallmark said. So this year, Design Thinking is being presented to teachers and to students so they can use it throughout the school year.

“I’m really excited that this has become, three-pronged with a book, fundraising project and now professional development,” Hallmark said,“I don’t think anyone else does that.”

Middle School teachers also are excited about raising money for a local group.

"We are all excited to fundraise for Lamb's Farm this school year,” said French teacher and Highland charity committee member Kerstin Cholewin. “It is extra special for many people because it is a local organization. Several students have visited Lamb's Farm petting zoo or bakery with their families. Lamb's Farm is a known entity to them. This year is an opportunity for Highland Middle School to help those living and working within our community and to learn more about what this organization provides. It is important for students to recognize how they can positively impact people in our larger community.”

To date, the school has held a volleyball tournament to raise money and will use a talent show and school dance also in raising money for the charity.

Photo caption: Highland Middle School/Photo via GoogleMaps