APRIL 2022
Zeman students aim to help A new after-school group for fourth- and fifth-grade students at Zeman Elementary School has a simple mission but one that could have a far-reaching impact: helping the community. Principal Rik Devney started the Young Scholar Committee during the first semester of the school year. The group of roughly 30 students, who volunteered to join, meet every other week for an hour after school. Last week they were huddled around tables in the library in small groups of three and four, brainstorming ideas for community service projects. Ideas included addressing issues such as homelessnes, hunger and litter. “This is an action-oriented group of scholars who want to make change and they have a strong desire to make a difference,” Devney said. “With our renewed focus on equity, we felt it was important to give students the opportunity to have a voice in making change. It's time that we take action if we want to see change. These scholars are eager to get involved.” He said the community service projects revolve around the four “equity lenses” for Lincoln Public Schools: kindness, civility, equality and justice. The students are researching and learning about the needs of the Lincoln community and Zeman. “The first step in making change is to be informed of the needs around us so change can happen,” Devney said. “Students have gone through activities that have increased their level of awareness related to the needs within our community and school.” The students also will soon be taking the children’s version of the Clifton StrengthsExplorer assessment. “Then we’re going to use our strengths to help the community,” said one of the students, Emery. “Doing the big projects that we’re planning, helping the community,” said another student, Shelby, “it just feels good.”