Generosity of Cresco students and community members brightens school

Thursday, June 27, 2024

Gary Gooder, owner of Alum-Line in Cresco, donated the materials, and the electrical work and lighting was done by Darrel Andera.

Small-town people performing acts of kindness for small-town organizations are part of the fabric of northeast Iowa, and groups of Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) students have demonstrated this over the last two years.

Crestwood High School students taking concurrent welding classes through the NICC Cresco Center with instructor Jason Bye have developed their skills and assembled crosses for Notre Dame Catholic School in Cresco.

"Notre Dame presented this idea to Erin Powers Daley (Executive Director of Workforce and Programming Initiatives)," Bye said, "who then brought it to the Cresco Center. It isn't necessarily part of the class, but once students complete assignments, I like them to build and fabricate something other than just welding."

Gary Gooder, owner of Alum-Line in Cresco, donated the materials, and the electrical work and lighting was done by Darrel Andera. Bye added that through his Work-Based Learning (WBL) approach, students have enjoyed working on these projects and have taken a little more pride in the work, knowing that the finished product is visible to the community.

"They did the first one (cross)," Katie Schmitt, Notre Dame's Principal, said, "and we liked how striking it looked in the front and also showed what Notre Dame stands for—that we are a catholic school and striving every day to teach our students. I also noticed that we had Notre Dame School letters on the other side of the building and it needed a cross to represent what we stand for as well."

The crosses are noticeable and add a little more character to the school. They really caught Schmitt's attention when working late one night.

"If you walk by it at night, it lights up and just permeates," Schmitt said. "One night, I was working late, and the cross was striking. I just thought, 'WOW.' It made me think about my faith and what I and our staff are trying to do at this school. It was a powerful moment."

When Bye was asked if more projects like this will continue to happen in the future, his answer was very clear.

"Yes," Bye said, "It's a great way to build partnerships and give back to the community."

Notre Dame Catholic School will display these additions for years to come, symbolizing the hard work and generosity of local people coming together for a good cause.