The Hands That Help Fluvanna

With Hands on Fluvanna 2019 just around the corner, have you ever wondered how the idea for this annual event came about? In 2016, some Fluvanna County students came together to form a day where students would be able to go out and help around the community. “It was all student-led. The students came up with the name and pretty much created the whole day,” said Student Government Association (SGA) teacher David Small, who oversees the event.

SGA students decided that they wanted to find some way to have the teenagers who aren’t otherwise involved in community service help out. Thus, the first Hands on Fluvanna was born. “We initially wanted to have everyone go off campus the first year, but that didn’t work out,” said Small. That event started off very small with only a few groups going off campus, but it soon it turned into the huge, all-day event it is today, featuring a dozen or more sports teams and clubs which go out to do things like rake residents’ leaves, clean up paint grounds, and pick up trash.

The second year that Hands on Fluvanna took place, SGA decided to make a way for all students, not just those going off-campus, to help the community as well, which led to the idea of having service stations around the school. Some of those service stations continue to this day, including one which supports the USO (United Service Organization). Programs to help the USO range from making snack bags for soldiers serving oversea, to making artificial flowers to be placed on tombstones at Arlington Cemetery outside Washington, D.C.

Other past service stations have focused on helping the homeless, like a station where students used plastic bags to make sleeping mats, or another station where students made colorful place-mats to be used at soup kitchens. Meanwhile, one new station this year involves rock painting. “The students will be painting inspirational quotes on stones and then we are going to make a rock garden out behind the school,” said Small.

This year’s 4th annual Hands On Fluvanna will take place on Friday, March 29, the last day before spring break. Groups will help the community off-site all morning, while those students staying on campus will cycle through service stations until 1 pm. After an hour-long lunch, featuring karaoke, students will report to the Auditorium to view a Hands On highlights video, followed by a pep rally and the annual Macho Man volleyball game in the gym to round out the day.

Why participate in Hands On Fluvanna? While it may be tempting to take the day off, participating in this annual day of caring doesn’t only support Fluvanna residents who benefit from the assistance– it give students a valuable and impactful experience in helping others. Students can see how doing a small act of community service can make a park cleaner or make someone else smile. “I want the students to see that giving the gift of service has a huge impact on the people around them,” said Small.

On-Campus Schedule: Hands On Fluvanna                             

March 29, 2019

7:30- Select SGA arrive to school & set up

8:30- SGA reps to Auditorium

8:40- Student body report to homeroom

9:00- OFF-CAMPUS volunteers/chaperones report to the auditorium

-Homerooms will consolidate by grade

9:00-10:00- In homerooms – show HonF instruction video (youtube link will be sent)

9:00-9:45- In auditorium – talk to volunteers/chaperones, distribute wristbands,etc.

–LOAD BUSES BY 9:45-(bus ramp)

WHEN STUDENTS ARRIVE AT A SERVICE STATION ROTATION

PLEASE HAVE THEM SIT (they may sit on the gym floor too) AND AWAIT INSTRUCTIONS-Homeroom teachers are rotating with their students

10:00-10:45- First Service Station

–8th– USO (Main Gym- Left)

–9th– Arlington Flowers (Main Gym- Right)

–10th- Community Service Videos (Auditorium)

–11th/12th-Painting rocks  (Cafeteria)

10:45-11:30- Second Service Station

–8th– Arlington Flowers (Main Gym- Right)

-9th- Community Service Videos (Auditorium)

–10th- Painting rocks (Cafeteria)

–11th/12th- USO (Main Gym- Left)

11:30-12:15- Third Service Station

–8th- Community Service Videos (Auditorium)

–9th- Painting rocks (Cafeteria)

–10th- USO (Main Gym- Left)

–11th/12th- Arlington Flowers (Main Gym- Right)

12:15-1:00- Fourth Service Station

-8th- Painting rocks (Cafeteria)

-9th– USO (Main Gym- Left)

–10th- Arlington Flowers(Main Gym- Right)

–11th/12th- Community Service Videos (Auditorium)

1:00-2:00- Lunch & Karaoke

2:00- Students off-campus return, ALL STUDENTS REPORT TO AUDITORIUM FOR HANDS ON FLUVANNA HIGHLIGHT VIDEO-Teachers monitor area

2:30-3:45- Macho Man Volleyball (main gym)–Teachers monitor area