LN clubs and charities find ways to assist Amy Beverland Elementary

On Tues., Jan. 26 news broke of the tragic events at Amy Beverland Elementary School, and the unfortunate death of their cherished principal of over two decades in Susan Jordan. Jordan died after a school bus jumped the curb, and as she pushed several of her beloved students from certain death. She was dubbed as a “great educator” by Dr. Shawn Smith, Lawrence Township Superintendent, and a treasured woman among Lawrence Township staff, and students. The Lawrence community is still mourning and feeling the aftershock of the heartbreaking loss of a great woman, and will continue to mourn.

Clubs all around Lawrence North are finding ways and acts of kindness to honor the life and memory of Jordan. Tri-Hi-Y is featuring a book drive for the students of Amy Beverland. Students will be collecting K-12 books, and sending them to the Amy Beverland library in their time of need. Jessica Morris is one of the head sponsors for Tri-Hi-Y, along with Angela Hattabaugh. Morris says that the goal for the drive is to promote reading to the younger students, while helping out and lending a hand.

“As an educator, the our goal is to help kids become lifelong readers because it’s essential to become a reader in the 21 century, and hopefully our drive will help develop kids into that, and get books into the hands of kids,” Morris said.

National Honor Society will also be joining in on the book drive, as the students will be helping the librarians at Amy Beverland organize the influx of books. Gina Schlotterbeck is the sponsor for NHS and says that this book drive can help out with the grief process, and lend a hand to the Lawrence Township community.

“I think that our efforts will make a huge impact in the grief process, for those still struggling with the events of that day, and this will be a different way for our kids to help out then maybe what would be the norm,” Schlotterbeck said

Schlotterbeck says that the book drive can help honor the legacy of kindness and caring that Jordan left behind.

“I think that the drive will honor what Susan stood for, she was known as such a kind person, and was always looking for a way to help out,” Schlotterbeck said. “She always wanted her kids to develop a new love for learning, and I think that helping out in the effort can help kids develop that.”