Students, staff and faculty from the East Liverpool Campus organized several community service projects that benefited kids and adults in meaningful ways and demonstrated their generosity and caring ways.
ADN’s Angel Tree
For more than 20 years, ADN students from the East Liverpool Campus have teamed up with the East Liverpool Salvation Army through its Angel Tree program to help make the holidays a little brighter for area children. This year was another success as students, faculty and staff “adopted” angels and purchased a “sea” of gifts that included a bike, dolls, games, coats, clothes and other toys. The spirit of giving is evident!
OTA’s Work with House of Grace
The students in the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program focused their outreach efforts on the needs of The House of Grace Resource Center over the last few weeks.
First year students (Class of 2026) purchased items and assembled 25 "Dinners in a Bag." These dinners were requested by the House of Grace for distribution to community friends. Each dinner bag included canned chicken, stuffing mix, instant mashed potatoes, gravy and green beans. The class also baked and packaged 20 dozen cookies.
Second year students (Class of 2025) baked and packaged 38 dozen cookies that will be given to community members for Christmas.
PTA and OTA Team Up for Robert Bycroft School
Students from the Physical Therapist Assistant and the Occupational Therapy Assistant programs continued a tradition that began in 2001 with the Robert Bycroft School by hosting the annual holiday party for its students.
Armed with a wish list from the Robert Bycroft students, the PTA and OTA students shopped over the last few weeks and purchased gifts for 47 students ranging in age from 3 to 19 years.
They then hosted a holiday party (complete with pizza, cookies and drinks) during which they handed out the gifts and a new pair of pajamas to each Robert Bycroft student. During the party, the 鶹Ƶ students interacted with the children, helping them open and play with their gifts.
This project was funded by a grant from the Fawcett Foundation in East Liverpool. OTA students Hannah Bowers and Therese Valentine wrote and submitted the grant request.
鶹Ƶ faculty and staff expressed appreciation to the occupational and physical therapists from the Therapy Center who also work at Robert Bycroft and helped make sure that each child’s gift wish and pajama size was added to the list.
The Robert Bycroft School provides comprehensive school-age services to children with developmental disabilities in Columbiana County. The school-age program focuses on instruction in the areas of academics, social interaction, functional life skills, positive behavior strategies and vocational preparation. Students are also provided with a number of related services including speech therapy, physical therapy and occupational therapy based upon their needs.
Season’s Readings
鶹Ƶ East Liverpool participated in the downtown Christmas parade, continuing its tradition of passing out books to children along the parade route. This year, more than 1,600 books were distributed to children of all ages – from toddlers to teenagers.
Known as Season’s Readings, this initiative began in 2016. All the books are purchased and/or donated by employees, community members or organizations. Books are collected throughout the year and then are sorted, boxed and counted as the parade draws closer. Each book also includes a bookmark with a note from 鶹Ƶ East Liverpool that encourages the recipient to read.
Cutline A: Student Nursing Association’s officers gathered the Angel Tree gifts including (from left) Ciara Casto, president; Astoria Poteet, treasurer; Shelby Householder, vice president; and Lucy Suarez, secretary.
Cutline B: First year OTA students taking donations to the House of Grace (from left) Faith Garrod, Ashton Drury, Alaynee McIntire and Ryne Loftus.
Cutline C: Second year OTA students at the House of Grace (from left) Therese Valentine, Nicole Grimm, Jessica Schneider, Abbey Eye, Hannah Bowers and Brianna Spirk.
Cutline D: OTA and PTA students and faculty at the Robert Bycroft School.
Cutline E: The campus pickup loaded down with books to be distributed during the East Liverpool Christmas parade.