Jeanette Devito - Virtual Learning

Hello, my name is Jeanette Devito and I am currently serving with the Carson City- Crystal Area School District. I have been working with the students and the parents of the community to help families in need find the resources that they need. I run and manage the Care Closet during school hours, and I am still currently collecting items for donations. I recently connected with the local Dollar general and built a relationship with them regarding the items in the store that penny out. The phrase “penny out” means that stores like Dollar General, are trying to get rid of items on their shelves, so that they can make room for other products. Normally they get sent back or thrown in the trash, but I am now going to start collecting the clothing and needed items, like toothpaste and toothbrushes, on a regular basis.

I also encourage many students and parents to get out into the community and help one another out like we did during one of our major events called the Serve-a-thon this past fall. In the Serve-a-thon, students got to get out of the classrooms and complete a myriad of service projects, ranging from cleaning school busses, to making tug toys for dogs out of old t-shirts, to weeding planters around the school. This is a helpful way to teach the students and the parents useful skills to prevent future poverty. A great example is that students who are able to introduce themselves and interact with community members and local businesses are more likely to be successful. It also gives them opportunities for potential employment and other opportunities to gain other experiences. Basic skills are not always taught at home and are necessary for being successful in the workforce.

​I anticipate this year to be a little harder than most with all the virtual learning going on. It's difficult to teach students and parents in person skills when not in-person. I look forward to finding new ways to work alongside Carson City Schools in teaching the youth of our community skills to help them be successful adults.