Rochelle students give back with ‘Got Your Back’ project

The Rochelle Middle School team behind the ‘RMS Got Your Back’ project pose with some of the 60 backpacks of hygiene items and essential supplies they distributed to the homeless through Mary’s Kitchen. The team is, from left, Leadership class teacher Tisha Dixon, eighth grader Zacchaeus Jones, seventh grader Dy'Sira Lawson, Assistant Principal Terry Wooten, sixth grader Naivea' Teach and volunteer Shameka Isaac. Not pictured is Nina Gibson.

By Cailyn Kennedy
Lenoir County Public Schools

When students in the Leadership class at Rochelle Middle School were searching for a project that would make a difference in the community, they settled on an idea that would not only have impact but would also have a catchy name: RMS Got Your Back.

As in backpacks, loaded with items that would be of use to the homeless population in Kinston.

“Our main goal this last nine weeks was to give back to our community by showing leadership in our community” said Rochelle teacher Tisha Dixon, who gave her leadership class this opportunity. 

Dixon let her class decide what its end-of-year project would be. The students discussed potential projects and after throwing out some ideas they decided on helping the homeless with donations of hygiene items and other necessities. After doing some research, according to Dixon, they decided to try to reach those in need through Mary’s Kitchen, a soup kitchen sponsored by St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in downtown Kinston.

After getting recommendations about the most needed donated supplies from Mary’s Kitchen and Friends of the Homeless Shelter, the students created a list of needs, posted flyers around the school about the project and solicited donations through social media. “With that said, we got over 60 new backpacks,” said Dixon. 

 Each backpack contained at least two bottles of water, one solid water bottle, canned goods, a pair of socks, a mask, a toothbrush with a case and toothpaste, wash clothes, soap, razors, deodorant, hand sanitizer, small packs of tissue and utensils

To distribute the backpacks, the leadership class traveled to Mary’s Kitchen and as people came in to get plates throughout the day, the students asked if they would like a backpack on their way out. 

By the end they gave out around 60 of the stuffed backpacks to those who wanted one. 

“It was actually a great experience for the kids and the students there. They were actually amazed and the excitement from some people that received the backpacks made them really feel good about doing so,” said Dixon.

According to Dixon, when starting this project the students had three main goals: to develop in every student awareness of his or her own leadership potential, to assist students in developing essential leadership skills that enable them to act responsibly in all aspects of their lives and to provide students opportunities to learn and practice essential leadership skills within a learning community.

What did they learn? Dixon said the students told her they realized giving back to your community did not have to encompass some huge gesture, that even doing something small can make a big impact. They also learned that no matter where you are in the world and no matter who you are you can always give back to your community.   

 “The Backpack Outreach in support of Mary's Soup Kitchen provided the students with an opportunity to demonstrate selflessness and empathy toward others in need,” said Terry Wooten, who was an assistant principal at Rochelle at the time of the project but has since been promoted to principal. “We are so proud of Ms. Dixon and her 6-8 grades Leadership students.”

So is Jim Godfrey, executive director of Mary’s Kitchen. “Anytime anybody provides us a service we are extremely grateful,” he said. “Rochelle was very kind to do this.”