BY DANI TIETZ
dani@sjodaily.com
It may not be a need that is always seen or known, but hard times are everywhere.
Even in his first year as Student Resource Officer at St. Joseph-Ogden High School, Champaign County Sheriff’s Deputy Shawn Hallett recognized that some students may not have everything they need.
He also knew that as teenagers, students might not be able to articulate their needs.
As a member of SJ-O’s Student Assistance Program, Hallett suggested that by setting up a centralized location within the school where students could grab something to eat or wear, some of those needs might be met.
Marshall Schacht, St. Joseph-Ogden’s Civics teacher and the coordinator of the Student Assistance Program, said that some of the students are struggling with poor nutrition, not having some of their needs met at home and a lack of a support system.
“If someone’s struggling in school, it might be due to reasons that are far beyond just not knowing how to organize their planner, it might be that they’re dealing with serious life issues,” Schacht said.
“We understand that St. Joseph, and the SJ-O community is affluent in comparison to some communities, but we do have people in need here,” he continued. “We have students that are in need here that don’t, maybe, know how to take advantage of those resources. And we wanted to provide those resources here at school.”
As part of the state-mandated service-learning component of any Civics course, the senior class stepped in to help provide the high school with SJO Shop and Go.
Only in its initial stages, the Shop and Go is currently open to students in the morning. The senior class takes turns making sure the non-perishable food items and clothing are ready for students who stop by to grab a quick bite for breakfast or a snack for the rest of the day.
Senior Lindsey Aden stepped up as point on the project.
“I feel like we have a very special senior class,” Aden said.
“I feel like we’re a pretty conglomerate group, and we all like hanging out with one another.”
While running the Shop and Go includes students who otherwise participate in school activities, Aden said the opportunity to work in the Shop and Go has brought forth some who may have been looking for a place to contribute.
“I’ve really seen people who you might not know that they would help other people or they might not stand out in other areas, and they help with this because they just like helping other people,” Aden said.
Within the first two weeks of opening, students have also approached Officer Hallett during school hours to get what they need.
Hallett said that there is going to be a time period where students have to learn that it’s okay to ask for help.
Aden said that the group is discussing what it might look like to have the Shop and Go open after school, too, in order to meet that need.
They are also taking note of what students who are coming might be in the upcoming months.
Schacht said that he knows there are students who don’t have a winter coat, personal hygiene supplies or those who will be without regular meals over winter break.
At this time, though, one of the problems is adequate space at the high school. Local churches have helped supply the group with non-perishable food items and the St. Joseph United Methodist Church provided a substantial monetary donation.
Schacht said that as the project evolves, it will be important to remember that the space they have been given for the Shop and Go also functions for many other groups and events throughout the year.
By focusing on serving the needs of students at SJ-O, Schacht believes that the space and project are manageable.
In recent years, Schacht has also seen that students, especially those without the resources they need, have become much more independent.
“We want to try to shoulder some of that burden and help them out,” he said. “Whether or not they’re getting the help at home or whether or not they need to seek another way for help, I’m hoping that we do reach those kids.”
Aden said that because the senior class is so diverse and involved, and because SRO Hallett and teachers at St. Joseph-Ogden are so connected, she believes that word can get out about the resources at Shop and Go.
“We kind of set it up (so that they will see) a friendly face,” Aden said.
“We’re hoping to, at least, so that way they’ll be able to come in here and get what they need without the pride factor and without feeling like they are embarrassed.”
The senior class is also looking forward to donating some of their Spartan gear so that students who may need clothing or may not have access or resources to purchase those items can obtain them.
Aden said that seniors, especially those who are the youngest in their family, are happy to give those items back to the school they love.
Schacht said that the Spartan seniors are also eager to give back to the community that they love.
In the fall of 2019, the Civics group was able to obtain the addresses of a few St. Joseph residents who may have fallen on hard times and were not able to rake their leaves.
“Without asking for anything, they did that and we still have some students who are actually going around on their own now and trying to find places to help out,” Schacht said.
The group is now looking to acquire addresses of residents who might need assistance shoveling their driveway after a snowfall.
With addresses, Schacht said that students will “have the ability of the students to go to them like on a snow day to be able to just carry their shovel down the street and take care of their neighbor.”
“If we could turn this community into kids that are willing to do that; and then when they go out to college and into the much bigger world, if they have that kind of attitude of looking out for their fellow person with understanding and compassion, there might be a need that they can address.
“Then we’re living in a much better world.”
To learn more about how to help with SJ-O’s Shop and Go, contact Marshall Schacht at mschacht@sjo.k12.il.us.
