Claysburg-Kimmel students complete projects

Groups team up; $115,000 awarded for projects

CLAYSBURG -- In a joint project with Claysburg-Kimmel School District and the Claysburg Education Foundation, efforts began several years ago to develop a relationship with the Sheetz Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence.

The relationship began in July 2017 with STEM presentations at Claysburg-Kimmel by Penn State University sending professors to the summer STEM program in Claysburg.

The relationship developed further in 2018-19 with additional meetings and the beginning of a program.

Starting in 2022, discussions were held to get the program back on track, and 16 Claysburg-Kimmel students from the sophomore, junior and senior classes were selected to be part of the program.

They were the only high school students to participate in this pilot program.

The CK students met for five Mondays at the Sheetz Center and were told to come up with ideas that would improve their life and learning experience at Claysburg-Kimmel High School.

The students were split into four groups of four members and proceeded with this project.

Under the direction of Donna Bon, executive director of the Sheetz Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence, and her team, the students were guided through a project-building and presentation program.

On March 28, the students made their final presentations to their student group and others including judges from the Claysburg Education Foundation, CK school administration and Steve Sheetz of the Sheetz Center.

The four presentations were: CKHS Redecorating Project, CK Quiet Area in Library, CK Initiation of Future Farmers of America and CK Tennis Courts as part of the athletic project.

According to the judges, all four presentations were exceptional. It was difficult to select one presentation over the others. The enthusiasm of the students plus the projects that they presented made very practical sense. Cost estimates for these projects in most cases did not include labor estimates for the use of some school personnel and students to make them a success.

Estimated costs for the first three projects came in at approximately $15,000 total.

The Claysburg Education Foundation and Steve Sheetz agreed to split the cost of these projects.

The final project of building tennis courts at the CK athletic complex would fit into the land area at the new pending athletic complex according to the administration. Cost appeared to be in reasonable line of $75,000 to $100,000 estimates.

Steve Sheetz offered to cover costs of it if it could be incorporated into the complex with the provision that the tennis court complex would be named in memory of his friend, Donald Witherspoon.

Witherspoon was a 1960 graduate of Greenfield-Kimmel High School, now Claysburg-Kimmel School District. Witherspoon was also president of the Blair County Chapter of the NAACP until his death on Dec. 26, 2020.

Witherspoon was well-known both in the Claysburg and Altoona areas for his efforts to work with individuals and groups for the betterment of the community.

The entire group reconvened to hear some very positive critiques by the students on the program, as well as comments by the judges on the presentations.

With the announcement of all groups being awarded funding for their projects as their projects progress, there was a great feeling of success and accomplishment by the students.

The success of these projects would not have been possible without the combination of all involved attending the Sheetz Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence presentations.

The Claysburg-Kimmel School District and the Claysburg Education Foundation said they are grateful to Steve Sheetz for his input and financial assistance, as well as the Sheetz Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence for its educational accomplishments working with the students and to Penn State for allowing this project to happen.