Penn Hills Charter School of Entrepreneurship earns Gold Banner award from project showing appreciation for teachers

A service project giving thanks to teachers at Penn Hills Charter School of Entrepreneurship (PHCSE) earned a team of students an award through a local competition.

Five students — Isaac Allen, Jailinn Best, Anaya Jackson, Dylan Bentley and Kennedy Montgomery Woods — joined forces last year to represent PHCSE as a Students In Action team for the first time. The team won a local Gold Banner for the Pittsburgh area in Multiplying Good Pennsylvania’s annual Public Service Pitch Day in late May. The team also received “Rookie of the Year” and “Best Oral Presentation” recognition.

The award was presented virtually by members of Multiplying Good Pittsburgh’s Students In Action (SIA) program. The youth service program aims to inspire and encourage students to create an impact in the world through service-led projects or initiatives.

“We believe individuals are transformed through acts of service,” said Jodi Klebick, executive director of Multiplying Good Pittsburgh.

Klebick said the PHCSE students did well with their project for their first time. PHCSE students competed against six other teams.

“They really knocked it out of the park,” Klebick said.

Their project wanted to show appreciation to teachers at the school after a challenging and tough year working virtually, said Debra Titus, the adviser and PHCSE entrepreneurship education coach.

More than 50 students participated in the effort, discussing on camera the greatest lessons they learned from teachers during the pandemic. During “Teacher Appreciation Week (May 1-6),” teachers were given laser-engraved mugs, paper flower bouquets, thank-you cards and signs. Titus said the project fit the charter school’s goal of the “Year of the Pivot” for the school year.

“Due to timing, it was hard to find time to do it, but they pivoted and were able to get the mission accomplished,” Titus said.

Teams also are able to nominate someone for the Multiplying Good’s Jefferson Award. The award is given to individuals spreading good and impacting their community in a positive way, Klebick said. The PHCSE team chose to nominate fourth grade teacher Dana Wood and seventh/eighth grade teacher Kailey Tritt for the award.

The school’s SIA team will not advance to the national competition, as students from Trinity High School in Washington County won the top honor to advance, but Titus said students do not want to stop at appreciating their teachers only for special occasions. They want to to honor them every year.

“We as adults sometimes need some uplifting, and it’s great when it comes from the voice of a child,” Titus said.