Bluebills adopt a class in Chimacum

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Following its mission to serve and improve the lives of those in the community, the Olympic Peninsula chapter of the Boeing Bluebills is leading a new education program that includes “adopting” the first-grade class at Chimacum schools.

While the group has traditionally been involved with schools – volunteering for the YMCA summer food and literacy program and supplying essentials to schools that have more than 70 percent of the students on free or reduced-price meals – it didn’t have a program that was supporting education specifically.

“We really wanted to do something with education, and also engage our members,” said chair Barbara Berthiaume.

Responding to needs expressed by first-grade teachers, Berthiaume led the raising of funds for Chromebooks, while fellow Bluebill Judy McKay helped bring volunteers into the classrooms to help once a week.

Berthiaume raised the funds for 33 Chromebooks (seven had been purchased already) in two weeks after forwarding a request made by the teachers on

donorchoose.org to Bluebills members and other public-

education supporters. The funds raised by local donors were matched in full by Google. “That was really fortunate,” said Berthiaume. They also purchased smaller mice and headphones; the ones the school currently had were too big for the first-graders.

“These kids were so proud,” said Berthiaume of how they responded to having their own technology. Many of the students had been unwilling to use the regular, larger computers at the school before the Chromebooks arrived. The kids use the computers for math, language and arts programs, and typing programs in preparation for third-grade state-mandated testing that is done on computers.

IN THE CLASSROOM

While Berthiaume handled fundraising for the Chromebooks, McKay helped volunteer in the classroom, bringing four other volunteers along with her. Next year, the hope is to have a volunteer in each first-grade and kindergarten classroom, McKay said.

“What we’re trying to do is create an opportunity for adults to get into a classroom and see what great things are happening,” said McKay, a retired teacher.

For her part, she listened to the first-graders read and talked with them about what they were reading. Others helped in areas like math and science. She had a great time working with the students once a week, and saw good results.

“These first-graders were reading amazingly well by the end of the year,” she said, noting that all the students would happily leave their Chromebooks when it was time to read, choosing books and human interaction over the computer.

“I looked forward to seeing them, and they looked forward to seeing me,” she said.

In addition to continuing their work with the first-graders, Bluebill members also raised funds this year to bring a Museum of Flight program (a portable planetarium) to Chimacum High School in support of facilitating STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) education, and have plans to continue funding for other Museum of Flight programs.

While the programs may not be exactly the same every year, the goal is to continue to strengthen the community’s relationship with the schools and help make a positive impact, said McKay.

For more information, contact Berthiaume at 437-0423 or visit

bluebills.org/olympic.html.