OLD BRIDGE — As the 2015-16 school year kicks off, school officials hope the district-wide “Pay it Forward” campaign will spread like wildfire.
The campaign derived from the district’s theme, “Local Pride Global Impact”, that was announced during the first day of teacher and staff in service on Sept. 1.
“It evolved from our team building meetings,” said Assistant Superintendent Kathleen Hoeker. “We talked about it and it was brought up here and there.”
Hoeker said with six schools in the township having been designated as National Schools of Character during the 2014-15 school year and being featured in a national magazine, it seemed fitting to drive the campaign of “Pay it Forward.”
“We were getting calls from our family and friends all across the country saying they saw us in the article,” she said. “It brought us local pride and we thought, ‘Look how far we reached.’ ”
A twitter feed has been created for the campaign.
“We want to show the community how we are giving back,” said the Superintendent of Schools, David Cittadino.
He said central administration already began the campaign in the summer during a wine-making competition. In the end, $300 was raised for the Old Bridge Animal Shelter and $300 was raised for the Mama Mare Breast Cancer Foundation.
Cittadino and Hoeker welcomed the district’s 800 teachers and staff back to school during a motivational in-service day at Old Bridge High School, which included pizza and doughnuts and members of the Old Bridge High School cheerleading team.
Cittadino said the district had a great school year during the 2014-15 year when teachers and staff were challenged to do 15 new things. Some started nonprofit organizations and some climbed mountains while some welcomed new additions to their families.
The district, which has approximately 1,700 students, is made up of one high school, two middle schools, and 12 elementary schools.
Hoeker said with a district of this size she is excited to see where the campaign goes.
“We can make a huge impact,” she said, adding that the campaign will be introduced to the Parent Teacher Associations as well as the realtors in the township.
Hoeker said the schools want to share the campaign with as many people as possible.
“Our high school alone has 3,000 kids … we are planting the seed so they can run with it,” she said.
Also during the teacher and staff inservice, Cittadino introduced Kathleen Elle, a 2015 East Brunswick High School graduate and now a student at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University.
In 2013, Elle won the “Mean Stinks” contest sponsored by “Seventeen” magazine and Secret deodorant with her anti-bullying song, “Don’t Let Them In,” and this year won an Abercrombie & Fitch Anti-Bullying Scholarship.
Her song has reached people nationwide and it is played in two public service announcements in 10,000 schools.
Elle sang the song at the teacher and staff in service.
She said she received so many messages including one from a 17-year-old girl from the Philippines, who said she had been relentlessly bullied since she was 10 years old.
The girl, Elle said, also told her she was contemplating suicide and had already attempted to kill herself when she came upon Elle’s song on YouTube.
“The power of music convinced this one girl to live,” said Elle, adding that it is incredible how powerful messages can be shared through music.
Elle said that was evident when she organized a music benefit for a young boy diagnosed with an illness and his family, who were struggling.
“In three hours we raised $1,250,” she said.
Music, Elle said, also bridges social gaps, which she observed during an East Brunswick Buddy Coffee House night, where kids with special needs and volunteers can showcase their talent.
She said a song that everyone knew came on and everyone was dancing and tapping their feet.
“Music unifies us,” she said.
Hoeker said teachers and staff can bring Elle’s videos into their classrooms. Elle also has a TED Talk on pursuing happiness by using her musical talent.
“This is a tool for them and they are allowed to put their different spins on it,” she said.