West Street & Errick Road K-Kids treated to luncheons

Article and Photos by Club Adviser Danny Maerten

Treasurer/President-Elect, Kiwanis Club of Niagara-Wheatfield

The K-Kids of West Street Elementary and Errick Road Elementary schools enjoyed a luncheon hosted by the Kiwanis Club of Niagara-Wheatfield. The lunches were given as an acknowledgement of their leadership projects and programs held at their respective schools throughout the year.

On Thursday, June 6, the West Street K-Kids enjoyed an outside, picnic-style lunch consisting of pizza, lemonade, and adviser Miss Lenore Palmeri’s brownies and cookies. Invited and in attendance to share this outing was Superintendent Daniel Ljiljanich, Finance Superintendent Allison Davis, Assistant Superintendent Tom Stack and West Street Principal Theron Mong. A water balloon game and an impromptu squirt gun interaction concluded a great time.

The last school undertaking of the K-Kids was the collecting gently used sneakers to be sent to Gotsneakers, where the items would be given to children in need of decent footwear. The school had collected 59 pairs in two weeks.

Throughout the year, the K-Kids hosted the school’s assemblies with positive attitude themes, held a Halloween candy collection for Treats for Troops, a Thanksgiving food drive for local families and food banks, a “sprinkle Kindness Like Confetti Day,” and made and served a pancake breakfast and ice cream sundae day.

On Friday, June 7, the Errick Road K-Kids were treated to their lunch of pizza, water and lemonade. Unfortunately, the weather was not cooperative to enjoy the time outside.

Advisers Mrs. Munz and Mrs. Davis did an excellent job decorating the market classroom. The superintendents were invited but, because of a scheduling conflict, they couldn’t be in attendance. Principal Nora O'Bryan was able to participate.

The Errick Road K-Kids organized and oversaw numerous school programs. They participated in a book drive to benefit Oishei Children’s Hospital, with a goal of collecting 200 books, and ended up amassing over 400, earning them a dance party featuring their very own DJ Jazzy J. In addition, the students wrote a script for a schoolwide assembly, spread kindness by leaving an uplifting message on each classroom door, made inspiring cards for a classmate battling cancer for the third time, and organized materials for the Errick Road school store, the Galaxy Market. 

K-Kids is a Kiwanis student leadership program with a vision where all students have the opportunity to develop as caring, confident leaders who help others through service. West Street and Errick Road are sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Niagara-Wheatfield, with Danny Maerten being club’s adviser to the schools.