{"id":12255,"date":"2018-02-20T06:00:21","date_gmt":"2018-02-20T11:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/fortmyers\/?p=12255"},"modified":"2024-11-13T12:59:59","modified_gmt":"2024-11-13T17:59:59","slug":"generation-g-spotlight-cca-8th-grade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/fortmyers\/generation-g-spotlight-cca-8th-grade\/","title":{"rendered":"“Generation G” SPOTLIGHT : The CCA 8th grade!"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Be accepting.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Be generous. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Be kind. <\/strong><\/p>\n

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Today, you will “meet” a local school group that stepped up to help GiGi\u2019s Playhouse of Fort Myers by raising funds and collecting needed items for us!\u00a0 These 8th grade students from Classical Christian Academy and their teacher worked hard to raise funds and then purchased items needed at the Playhouse. \u00a0Since then, they have completed their volunteer orientations and want to start helping out in new ways too! \u00a0We found this so inspirational, we wanted to hear their stories. \u00a0They agreed to answer some questions for us, and we could not be more thankful to Mrs. Kim Squicciarini (who goes by Mrs. Squish, how fun is that?) and her awesome students and their families for their acceptance of people with Down syndrome, their generosity, and their kindness along the way.\u00a0 Way to be #GenerationG!<\/p>\n

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1) Why did you choose to do all this for GiGi\u2019s Playhouse as opposed to another organization?<\/p>\n

Alan: \u201cWe chose Gigi\u2019s playhouse because we felt that this is the organization we were being called by God to serve.”<\/p>\n

Zoe: \u201cWe wanted to work with Gigi\u2019s playhouse to give people with Trisomy 21 the chance to be all they can be. \u00a0No one should be limited. With Gigi\u2019s Playhouse there are so many different ways we can help.”<\/p>\n

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2) Did you learn anything about GiGi\u2019s Playhouse or Down syndrome in general during your projects?<\/p>\n

Dinah: \u201cWe learned that Gigi\u2019s playhouse is a positive\u00a0place where Down Syndrome is celebrated and embraced. \u00a0I like how positive the organization is and it brings awareness with positivity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mrs. Squish: \u201cIts a place to go to meet people, to talk and to grow. \u00a0My students loved the happiness that flows from\u00a0Gigi\u2019s playhouse.”<\/p>\n

Andrew: \u201cWe learned that anyone can have a child with Down Syndrome. \u00a0We learned that people with Down Syndrome may have challenges, but they also have different abilities and strengths, just like everyone else.”<\/p>\n

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3) Why do you think it is important to be generous?<\/p>\n

Joseph: \u00a0\u201cI think it is\u00a0important to be\u00a0generous because we are in a position where we are blessed and\u00a0can help others. We attend a Christian school\u00a0and we feel that God has been generous to us and we want to give back to others.”<\/p>\n

Daniel: \u201cBy being generous we can lift the spirit of others and encourage them to do things that might be difficult.”<\/p>\n

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4) We heard you want to do more volunteering at the Playhouse\u2014what inspired that? \u00a0What are your plans?<\/p>\n

Mrs. Squish: “Our students have lots of thoughts on ways to be involved. \u00a0We did a supply drive and got our whole school involved. \u00a0We were able to donate over 160 needed items. \u00a0The kids are thinking about an Easter fundraiser involving selling a special snack and donating all profits to GiGi\u2019s Playhouse. \u00a0Our students have already completed their training to begin volunteering in GiGi\u2019s Playhouse. \u00a0They are especially interested in working with the little children in the program.”<\/p>\n

Joel: “In the Bible God tells us to be good Stewards of God\u2019s creations and all people are Image Bearers of God. \u00a0We are reading a book in class called, \u201cDo Hard Things\u201d that is inspiring us to step out of our comfort zones to do hard things for God.”<\/p>\n

Joseph: “We are learning that even though we are teenagers we are capable of doing hard things. \u00a0We are passionate about Gigi\u2019s Playhouse and helping them achieve their goals.”<\/p>\n

Dinah: “If we work together we can accomplish far more than on our own.”<\/p>\n

Alan: “We are hoping that other people will step up to do hard things and that everyone can find their own way to support Gigi\u2019s Playhouse.”<\/p>\n

Josh: “We hope that by doing hard things that it will inspire others to step up and do hard things as well.”<\/p>\n

Zoe: “We are not saying that it is a hard thing to be with people with differences, but it might be a hard thing to think that a 13 year old can make a difference.”<\/p>\n

Joseph: “We are doing what we can to live #GenerationG. \u00a0We strive to be accepting of differences, generous with time and money and kind to everyone.”<\/p>\n

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These students are definitely living #Generation G:<\/a><\/p>\n

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