Students in the school psychology program at the University of Central Arkansas are recognizing National School Psychology Week with volunteer activities at a local elementary school.
Before photo of small garden bed
After photo of small garden bed
Graduate students from the second-year cohort of the educational specialist program in school psychology are spending the year at Theodore Jones Elementary (TJE) School for their practicum. The five-student cohort spends each Tuesday at TJE. The students are Gordon Geesaman, Carly Hale, Taylor Hughes, Jewel Murphy and Ashlynne Young. They assist with assessing individual students, consulting with teachers, providing individual academic and behavioral interventions, and providing educational handouts on psychological topics to parents. This partnership will last the entire 2021-22 academic year.
Geesaman organized a garden bed cleanup to kick off National School Psychology Week. He was joined by Joan Simon, professor of psychology. The team worked to clear debris from three small and three large garden beds. They planted rosemary bushes in the small beds.
“We disrupted the sleep of a couple of frogs, but they were relocated without any problem,” said Simon, adding that the more important lessons are being learned through the cohort. “Our school psychology students are learning so much through our collaboration with TJE faculty/students this school year. We hope that the TJE family will enjoy this enhancement to their outdoor space!”
Celebrated from Nov. 8-12, National School Psychology Week seeks to highlight the work school psychologists and other educators do to help all students thrive. This year’s theme is
Graduate students showcasing school supplies
“Let’s Get in Gear,” which includes “gear” as an acronym meaning grow, engage, advocate and rise.
This week’s project marks the second for this cohort of students. The first project was conducted in August when they sponsored a school supply collection drive for the individuals served at Youth Home in Little Rock.
