Mrs. Vermeiren’s class with KSDK reporter Brandon Merano (far right)
KSDK reporter Brandon Merano discoverd Collinsville High School teacher Lynn Vermeiren’s DonorsChoose.org project when perusing the website for an upcoming story. After a few phonce calls, an interview and some shoppoing, he made a surprise visit to her class in early September 2018 and delivered the requested items.
Mrs. Vermeiren, a special education teacher at CHS, used DonorsChoose.org to request funds to purchase hygiene items for her Life Skills classroom. Merano chose her project as one of several the news station filled as part of a week-long series on helping teachers get needed classroom supplies.
Vermeiren’s project was titled: “Good Hygiene = Good Health”:
My students need hygiene items to help them combat health problems and lack of resources. We use items such as baby wipes, gloves, nail clippers, and combs every day in my classroom.
My Students:
“See the ABLE, not the label” I teach a diverse group of students with multiple disabilities and very high sensory needs. In our life skills classroom, we have students with disabilities ranging from autism, to down syndrome, to ADHD. My students are degree seeking so they still complete the high school curriculum requirements. They are very hard working individuals and care very much about their education. We want to work to keep our classroom clean and healthy and need the supplies and materials to do so.My Project:
Hygiene is one of the most important factors in good health. My students sometimes suffer from poor hygiene and unsanitary conditions. We teach hygiene in my life skills classroom but need supplies to continue this practice. These items will be used to make personal hygiene kits for school and also sent home with students to help with hygiene at home. Personal hygiene habits such as washing your hands and brushing and flossing your teeth will help keep bacteria, viruses, and illness at bay. And there are mental as well as physical benefits. People who have poor hygiene: disheveled hair and clothes, body odor, bad breath, missing teeth, etc. are often seen as unhealthy and may face discrimination.
To view the the KSDK news story, click here.