By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN — The news of the mass shootings at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University may have faded from the headlines, but a group of city school pupils is still reaching out to the Virginia Tech community.
So is Youngstown State University through a project initiated by a graduate student from Poland.
Seventh-grade social studies pupils at Hayes Middle School have been sending postcards to Virginia Tech, offering words of support and encouragement, said Dennis Mamone, their teacher.
The pupils, who are also in Dyana Davanzo's family life class, combined their writing, social and domestic skills to make a 3-by-4-foot banner to be sent to Virginia Tech this week.
It bears the VT logo and 17 original signed messages of encouragement and support from the participating pupils.
The messages, bearing the heartfelt feelings of the Hayes pupils, are handwritten on separate pieces of cloth and ironed onto the banner, Davanzo said, adding that it was a way for the children to show empathy with those suffering at the university.
"It just came to me," said Andrew Taylor, one of the students involved, in discussing his message.
His message reads, in part, "The courage you have shown shows bright through the world."
Briana Jennings offered, "Be brave. Keep your head held high and you will get through this."
Deneja Phillips wrote, "It may be hard at the beginning, but you will overcome it."
DeVonte Wilson's message said, "Keep on with faith because God is on your side."
Meanwhile, John Paul DeSimone of Poland, a YSU graduate student in counseling, spearheaded the creation of a YSU campuswide sympathy and support book to be sent to Virginia Tech.
A total of 60 copies were delivered to the dean of students' office in Blacksburg, Va., with one to be distributed to each family who had a member killed or injured in the shootings, DeSimone said.
His idea grew into a team effort that blossomed into a 25-member production team from 14 YSU departments and more than 50 volunteers who gave more than 500 hours of their time to create the book. The cost was picked up through donations, DeSimone said.
He said he got the idea for a sympathy book during YSU's prayer vigil for Virginia Tech shortly after the April 16 shootings.
It was an opportunity for the YSU community to unite in solidarity with Virginia Tech families and friends, he said.
The 51-page book, featuring the Virginia Tech logo over a black ribbon on the cover, contains more than 1,100 signatures, selected verses and quotations, the names of all 32 who were murdered and blank pages for book recipients to write their own feelings.
gwin@vindy.com
Saturday, June 2, 2007
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN — The news of the mass shootings at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University may have faded from the headlines, but a group of city school pupils is still reaching out to the Virginia Tech community.
So is Youngstown State University through a project initiated by a graduate student from Poland.
Seventh-grade social studies pupils at Hayes Middle School have been sending postcards to Virginia Tech, offering words of support and encouragement, said Dennis Mamone, their teacher.
The pupils, who are also in Dyana Davanzo's family life class, combined their writing, social and domestic skills to make a 3-by-4-foot banner to be sent to Virginia Tech this week.
It bears the VT logo and 17 original signed messages of encouragement and support from the participating pupils.
The messages, bearing the heartfelt feelings of the Hayes pupils, are handwritten on separate pieces of cloth and ironed onto the banner, Davanzo said, adding that it was a way for the children to show empathy with those suffering at the university.
"It just came to me," said Andrew Taylor, one of the students involved, in discussing his message.
His message reads, in part, "The courage you have shown shows bright through the world."
Briana Jennings offered, "Be brave. Keep your head held high and you will get through this."
Deneja Phillips wrote, "It may be hard at the beginning, but you will overcome it."
DeVonte Wilson's message said, "Keep on with faith because God is on your side."
Meanwhile, John Paul DeSimone of Poland, a YSU graduate student in counseling, spearheaded the creation of a YSU campuswide sympathy and support book to be sent to Virginia Tech.
A total of 60 copies were delivered to the dean of students' office in Blacksburg, Va., with one to be distributed to each family who had a member killed or injured in the shootings, DeSimone said.
His idea grew into a team effort that blossomed into a 25-member production team from 14 YSU departments and more than 50 volunteers who gave more than 500 hours of their time to create the book. The cost was picked up through donations, DeSimone said.
He said he got the idea for a sympathy book during YSU's prayer vigil for Virginia Tech shortly after the April 16 shootings.
It was an opportunity for the YSU community to unite in solidarity with Virginia Tech families and friends, he said.
The 51-page book, featuring the Virginia Tech logo over a black ribbon on the cover, contains more than 1,100 signatures, selected verses and quotations, the names of all 32 who were murdered and blank pages for book recipients to write their own feelings.
gwin@vindy.com
Saturday, June 2, 2007
The news of the mass shootings at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University may have faded from the headlines,...
