Convention News Online
April 2011

NAESP’s Annual Convention & Exposition kicks off on Thursday, April 7, with a day of volunteer service at Booker T. Washington Elementary School, a K-5 school in Tampa, Florida. Community Service Day is a powerful demonstration of commitment during the NAESP convention that raises awareness of the importance of volunteerism and of principals helping each other.

About 120 volunteers have signed up to complete hands-on projects such as landscaping and developing two outdoor reading areas with tables, stools, and benches arranged for the students to explore books outside the classroom. The landscaping in the reading area will also serve as an environmental space consisting of plants so students can participate in a variety of tasks that will help them to understand the basic concepts of plant growth, research, and reporting skills. The nearly 600 students who attend B.T. Washington Elementary now and in the future will enjoy being able to learn outdoors as well as indoors.  

NAESP’s annual Community Service Day has been described by volunteers as one of the highlights of their convention experience. For the past two years, convention attendees have volunteered their time at local schools as a show of camaraderie and teamwork with their peers from around the country. During last year’s convention, about 100 principals joined forces to provide assistance to three Houston schools during the second annual Community Service Day, assembling playground equipment, completing landscaping projects, and beautifying campuses.

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