As part of the ongoing Learn by Heart campaign, Berrien County schools are coming together to celebrate the hard work of all education personnel with a special event being held on Wednesday, May 11 called HEARTwork 2022. The event is being offered free-of-charge to anyone working to support student success through Berrien County schools – bus drivers, media center staff, paraprofessionals, coaches, teachers, consultants, administrators, office staff, maintenance and facilities teams, food service employees – all are being celebrated for their commitment to education!
HEARTwork 2022 will be held at the Mendel Center on the campus of Lake Michigan College in the Grand Upton Hall and at the Mainstage from 5-8 p.m. The event will be divided into two parts.
The first half (from 5-7 p.m. in Grand Upton Hall) will include a variety of food trucks, entertainment, activities, and giveaways.
The second half, from 7 to 8 p.m., will feature motivational guest speaker, author and educator Chase Mielke at the Mainstage. Attendees will enjoy a special message of thanks from Chase and other education leaders for their dedication to education as well as encourage them to continue supporting student success.
Bigger giveaway packages will be given away during the second portion of the event including tickets to attend the upcoming KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, memberships to local parks and fitness centers, backyard game sets and much more!
Berrien County educators and school personnel are encouraged to register for the event by April 25. To register, simply visit www.berrienresa.org. Each attendee is also encouraged to register one adult guest to join them at the event. Guests are also able to attend at no cost and be eligible to receive prizes and giveaways.
Event coordinators are still seeking sponsorship support. If a business or community group would like to support this special countywide celebration of area educators, please contact Lisa Pattison at lisa.pattison@berrienresa.org to learn more!
Volunteers are also being recruited! To volunteer, please visit www.berrrienresa.org. This is a great opportunity to fulfill high school service hours or credit toward volunteerism-based merit badges!
HEARTwork 2022 is being coordinated by Berrien RESA and Berrien County public school districts. Together, it is their aim to showcase the community’s appreciation for area education personnel.
“The last few years have been incredibly difficult for staff,” said Berrien RESA Superintendent Eric Hoppstock. “However, with every obstacle presented to them, they persevered and showed up for our kids. As a county, we need to celebrate their dedication and thank them for their hard work – or their HEARTwork – as we like to say!
Superintendent Hoppstock explained that this event is part of the greater Learn by Heart campaign that was launched in January. Over the past few months, social media has been flooded with stories and images of education personnel’s impact on students and their families. Districts across Berrien County are participating in different ways to highlight and share their gratitude for their employees in newsletters, videos and in their community newspapers.
“Often, school stories are focused on the bigger picture – student outcomes after years of educational experiences,” said Hoppstock. “It is important to remember all those little, yet very impactful, moments along the way that truly shape the student’s journey. The Learn by Heart campaign captures those moments and helps the community understand how much our staff really care about their work and the people they support each day. It also gives us, the community, a chance to say thank you.”
The HEARTwork 2022 event is being offered at no cost thanks to generous donations from many sponsors including: Lake Michigan College, 98.3 the Coast, Apple Valley Natural Foods, Niles Culvers, Butricks Yard Games and More, YMCA of Greater Michiana, KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, Circle Federal Credit Union, Kalin Construction Co. Inc., Silver Beach Pizza, Mead & White Electric Contractors, Inc., Sarett Nature Center, Ace Hardware, Vail Rubber, The Grand LV and Shadowland on Silver Beach.
About Learn by Heart:
Area public school leaders are celebrating the hard work and dedication of educators throughout Berrien County through an initiative called the “Learn by Heart” campaign. The Learn by Heart campaign is designed to increase the awareness of the tireless efforts of Berrien County’s educators through the art of storytelling. The campaign will highlight relationships between educators, students, parents, and community members. Schools across Berrien County will share those special interactions that illustrate the difference educators make in the lives of those whom they serve – students. Stories will be shared on social media, in their district publications and through their local media outlets.
For more information, please visit www.berrienresa.org.
