Both October Open HUBs held on October 9th and October 30th were bustling with activity as Carlee and Sydney welcomed returning and new families. It was wonderful to see so many community members stop in to shop the HUB, with families able to choose from a variety of items, including fresh produce generously donated by the Sherburne Rotary Carlee and Sydney were thrilled with the turnout at both events and grateful for the opportunity to assist everyone who visited.
TOBACCO-FREE THURSDAYS IN OCTOBER
Throughout October, the HUB hosted a series of engaging TobaccoFree Thursday events led by Jessica Colley from PULSE and Rose Walsh from Tobacco Free Zone. The month kicked off with Jess introducing students to what Tobacco-Free Thursdays would look like, discussing upcoming activities, sharing information, and answering questions from students unfamiliar with the program. On October 9th, Jessica and Rose returned for an interactive session featuring a tobacco, vape, alcohol, and substance-use trivia game packed with real statistics and facts. Students eagerly used buzzers to answer questions, recalled information from past presentations, and even brought in their own knowledge. A special prize—a blue themed T-shirt—was awarded to the top participant. The October 16th event continued the momentum as Jessica and Rose facilitated thoughtful conversations using posters highlighting substance-related references in ads, TV shows, and online trends. Students explored how media influences choices around substance use and wrapped up the session by choosing from a variety of snacks the presenters provided. Together, these events helped build awareness and encourage healthy, informed decision-making among students.
This month's Water Wednesday featured Apples and Cinnamon infused water. Carol from Cornell Cooperative Extension educated the students on this month's infused water benefits and the importance of staying hydrated
I'm thrilled to repo y huge success! Both students and staff were incredibly excited to try the infused water. Many shared positive feedback, specifically loving the apple cinnamon flavor, with some even saying it tasted like apple pie! Carol from Cornell Cooperative Extension was particularly impressed, noting that she had never seen such a large turnout and level of interest. We are looking forward to continuing this event for months to come.
Margo and Tylena came to the HUB with two sets of Meta Quest 2 Virtual Reality (VR) Headsets, loose papers with resume templates, pencils, pens, folders, and pamphlets. Tylena, with the help of Site Coordinator Turer set up the VR headsets to Tylena's phone's Hotspot. As students came into the HUB during the lunch Mods (Periods) up to two students at a time could use a VR headset to play a pre-programmed career simulator. There were multiple options to play including medical simulations and mechanical simulations. Each simulation is supposed to last about 5 minutes, based on how easily the instructions are carried out within the simulation and if there aren't any mechanical mishaps including an in-game delay of grabbing an item. Both middle schoolers and high schoolers played with the VR headsets and enjoyed the simulators enough to go through multiple different careers. Once the lunch Mods (Periods) were over, Margo and Tylena packed up their items, leaving some materials for the students to look over after they left.
During the first few weeks of October there had been sheets of October word scrambles and trivia for the students to do while in the room. Sydney had made a Halloween Song Trivia game for students to play for a prize. Sydney set up the ‘Green Glass Door/Room’ for the students to puzzle out. Sydney and Carlee had brought in oreos and frosting for the students to make Oreo Mummys Towards the end of the month there were Halloween/Fall based ‘What am I?’ riddles posted around the room for the students to look at and figure out. Sydney set up a game of Wordle for each group of students to play throughout the day. Sydney and Carlee brought in small pumpkins and put out paints and decorations for the students to decorate their own pumpkins.
The impact has been that the students have been more interested in coming to the HUB, they are learning different things for each activity, and want more of some of these activities. Including the Song Trivia and the ‘What am I?’ riddles.
Connected Connected
PARTNERS PARTNERS
Ellie Ryan is our new LPP representative, we are so excited to have her and partner with her!
We will be gearing up for winter; to assist that each student within the district is footed with both a warm winter jacket and boots if need is there. Carlee has partnered in the past with a few teachers within the district to ensure that every student has what they need for the winter and cold months.
Bruce Brodsky with the Utica Dollars for Scholars came to our October all-staff meeting in Rome to share with staff the scholarship opportunities available to many of the students we serve. The application for Utica Dollars for Scholars is open now through March of 2026 for students in Herkimer and Oneida Counties looking for funding for higher education. Bruce identified that they want to get the word out to students and not only ensure they are aware of the opportunity, but also get support to follow through the full application process, as many start their application but don’t finish it The presentation was very insightful for our staff who support high school students in the Herkimer and Oneica Counties, and hopefully we can get those students connected to the scholarship opportunities available.
Monthly Connected Partner Highlights are held virtually throughout the school year for staff to discover and build connections with various community partners In the month of October, we had three different agencies present on some services they offer, including OnPoint for College, the Alzheimer’s Association, and Neighborhood Center’s COMHPS program.
Partner Highlights
Earlier in the month, Anny Guerrero-Brown provided an overview of OnPoint for College, detailing its expansion beyond college access and success to include support for certificate programs, licenses, and trades, serving students in Herkimer, Madison, Onondaga, and Cayuga counties with broad eligibility criteria and individualized support across college access, college success, and career services. Jennifer Engram elaborated on career services, including advising, workshops, and internship opportunities. Anny concluded by emphasizing OnPoint for College's holistic, free, and continuous support, focusing on removing barriers to education and building strong relationships with students
Lisa McCarthy provided an overview of the Alzheimer's Association, discussing the financial and caregiving impact of dementia, the association's funding and research efforts, various types of dementia, warning signs, and strategies for brain health and prevention The Alzheimer’s Association is available to table at any events where we may want to share information on dementia and Alzheimer's support.
Paul Ukena introduced The Neighborhood Center's OMH grant-funded COMHPS (Community Mental Health Promotion and Support) program, outlining its focus on community mental health promotion and support, the Neighborhood Center's broader services, and the program's activities, including outreach, referrals, and emotional support, emphasizing its free and short-term nature The COMHPS program offers Classroom Programming opportunities including interactive tabling and group content delivery using different activities to allow participants to express their creativity while promoting mental well-being. The program is available in Oneida County, so if you are interested in bringing them into your classroom, contact your Site Coordinator!
Connected is in full Holiday Assistance mode, working to ensure students and families have the support they need this season. Last year, we assisted over 2,000 students, and we’re once again committed to spreading warmth and joy throughout our communities. If you or someone you know could benefit from holiday assistance, please reach out to your Site Coordinator or a member of the LINK Team—we’re here to help.
If you’d like to help, donations are always welcome! Check out the Holiday Assistance bin map included on this flyer for convenient drop-off locations, or bring your donation to our main office at 207 North James Street, Rome, NY. Monetary contributions can also be made online at https://connectedcommunityschools.org/holiday-assistance/, and every gift helps make the season brighter for local families.
Connected Community Schools is kicking off the Connected Food Drive to help ensure families in our community have access to nutritious food this season. With the support of generous donors and community members, we aim to make a meaningful impact for local families in need.
Donations of non-perishable food items can be dropped off at any Connected Community Schools site or at our main office at 207 North James Street, Rome, NY. Monetary contributions can also be made online at https://connectedcommunityschools.org/donate-2/.
Every gift helps nourish children and families across our community.
Click here to access the Holiday Assistance Bin Map!
