6th Grade Experiences in 2021

RPDS Student Spotlight 6TH GRADE EXPERIENCES IN 2021

The Jacksonville Humane Society

Dr. Carla Rodriguez, owner and founder of Pawsitive Healing Rehabilitation and Acupuncture Clinic in San Marco, was treating Nikki Simpson’s dog and explained how much she loves kids and asked the 6th grade RPDS teacher how she could get involved with RPDS students. Ms. Simpson told Dr. Rodriguez about RPDS Project LEADS. Servant leadership is at the very center of the Riverside Way and something RPDS instills in our students beginning in Pre-Kindergarten all the way up to their milestone 6th grade year when they serve different agencies in our community through their Project LEADS service event. In a typical school year, our 6th grade students would go serve different community agencies off campus over the course of three days. However, due to the pandemic this year, students had to get creative with how they could safely serve their community from their school campus. After Dr. Rodriguez and Ms. Simpson talked, they realized they could team up for a new Project LEADS project this year to help animals in need. Back in October, the students made and donated dog and cat beds, toys, heating pads, and cat scratchers, along with other items they brought from home, including collars, leashes, toys, bowls, and food. In the spring, the students continued helping the animals in their community by making more supplies and by painting portraits of their own pets to be sold at the Artisan Market hosted by Dr. Rodriguez’s practice. In addition to RPDS student artwork, the Artisan Market hosted vendors from Old Colony Woodworks, Ingravity Art, Jade Paws, Utter Chaos Creations, and The Cultural Center of Ponte Vedra. RPDS 6th grade student artwork raised $435, and another $365 was raised by other vendors, totaling $800 in funds raised, all benefiting the Jacksonville Humane Society.

The St. Johns Riverkeepers

At the end of January, our 6th grade students started walking down to the river to conduct routine river checks as part of their St. Johns Riverkeepers partnership. RPDS 6th Grade scientists tested the water temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, salinity, pH, nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia. The results from the tests were continuously reported to the Water Rangers, a group that monitors the health of water worldwide. Water Rangers' mission is to build the tools to help citizens and scientists easily record and analyze water data so that they can use the data to learn about problems, share discoveries, and engage with their neighbors. Our 6th grade students enjoyed their trips to the St. Johns River and took a great amount of pride in their testing and analysis, knowing they were contributing to the health of our river.