Central Nine students donate canned goods and hygiene products to Dayspring Center in Indianapolis from their campus-wide donation drive Wednesday. Submitted Photo
Central Nine students donate canned goods and hygiene products to Dayspring Center in Indianapolis from their campus-wide donation drive Wednesday. Submitted Photo
Central Nine Career Center students are stepping beyond the classroom this semester.

They are taking their skills into Johnson County and beyond as they volunteer, mentor and serve in projects aimed at strengthening the community.

Central Nine Career Center’s mission is to engage, support and empower students by providing active, career-based learning in an experiential environment.

Here’s a look at some recent efforts from students in the greater Johnson County area:

Charlene’s Angels

On Wednesday, the dental career and medical assistant students hosted a fun-filled day with Charlene’s Angels.

Charlene’s Angels provides academic support, teaches social and living skills, and helps individuals with developmental disabilities grow through community integration.

Last year, Charlene’s Angels assisted over 100 clients from Johnson and nearby counties. The clients not only receive academic support, but also learn socialization, daily living skills and community integration, leading to increased independence.

The dental and medical classes at C9 have hosted Charlene’s Angels for over 12 years as part of their yearly SKILLS USA Community Service Project.

The students teach individuals “marketable skills” such as hand hygiene, basic CPR, seating and dismissing patients, along with basic sterilization skills, said Jan Tunis, dental careers instructor.

“As an instructor I feel it is important for our students to experience as much as they can,” she said. “Students need to know that patients come from all walks of life, some may have physical or mental disabilities, some may not.”

After the morning of skill learning, the students and the angels had a group session where they had the opportunity to get to know one another.

“Sometimes they talk about their disability, which is such a good learning opportunity for our students,” she said. “We then serve them lunch and finish with the best dance party ever. I have many students tell me this is their favorite day at C9.”

Dayspring Center Indianapolis

Students in Andrice Tucker’s auto service program delivered donations from their campus-wide drive to Dayspring Center in Indianapolis on Wednesday.

Every year, the students in the program find an organization that needs donations and once one is selected a timeline for a donation drive is decided, Tucker said. Fliers are hung up throughout the school and launched the donation drive in October.

Since the launch, the students collected over 1,000 cans and food items, hygiene products, bedding and blankets along with $400 in monetary donations to support homeless families and children.

“We have had many great donation drives over the years, but this drive to the Dayspring Center was one of the most successful in recent years,” Tucker said.

Dayspring provides homeless families and their children with the tools and resources to live a healthier, independent way of life, according to its website.

This emergency shelter operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week for families seeking assistance.

“Helping our community and donating to those who are less fortunate is something that all students learn from,” he said. “My goal is for my students to see the impact that a small donation can make to someone who may have hard times in their life.”

The students are currently planning a field trip to spend additional time at Dayspring with residents in hopes to serve a meal, make some desserts and create arts and crafts with kids.

“Also, I want my students to see how much the donation of time is the most important thing they can give sometimes,” Tucker said.

Indiana War Memorials

Charles Roberts’s landscaping students got their hands dirty late November spending time to prepare the Indiana War Memorial grounds for the winter.

Their charity work received recognition from retired Air Force Brig. Gen. J. Stewart Goodwin, the executive director of the Indiana War Memorials Commission.

The Indiana War Memorial Plaza Historic District includes the 30,000-square foot Indiana War Memorials Museum complete with military equipment and artifacts, three parks, four fountains and 25 acres of monuments, statues and sculptures in the heart of downtown Indianapolis.

The IWM’s properties include the Indiana War Memorial, the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, the Indiana World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War Memorials, the USS Indianapolis Memorial, the Medal of Honor Memorial, the 9/11 Memorial and the Indiana Gold Star Families Memorial.

“Central Nine Career Center is a new addition to our volunteer family, and we are excited to have them join the IWM Volunteer Team,” Goodwin said in a letter to Roberts. “The two days your team was with us were busy, and the students seemed to enjoy getting their hands dirty.”