On Thursday, January 16, 250 Newport community members gathered in the cafeteria at Pell Elementary School for a community dinner for grades K-2 organized by RENEWport. The dinner is part of RENEWport’s efforts to build community and connect Pell students and families with all Newport offers.
“RENEWport is helping kids and families to see that there is a connection between school and community. We are here for our schools, kids, and families as a support. We want them to succeed as much as they want to succeed and they can’t do it alone,” said Ellen Pinnock, Co-President of RENEWport, Director of Community Engagement for FabNewport, and Newport City Council member.
Newport School Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain and Pell Principal Traci Westman welcomed the students with their families. They expressed appreciation to RENEWport and the twenty community organizations participating in the event. Students and their families ate dinner and then played violins supplied by Newport String Project, built Legos with the Boys & Girls Club of Newport County, played Loteria (Mexican bingo) with Conexion Latina, strummed guitars and beat drums at Newport Classical and Newport Festival Foundation’s “Instrument Petting Zoo,” held hermit crabs and observed sea stars at Save The Bay’s touch tank, crafted with Newport Bridge, colored with the Newport Tree Conservancy, beaded with the Girls Scouts of Southeastern New England, and pumped up bicycle tires with Bike Newport.
Students from the Rogers High School Key Club pitched in to help carry and serve food, as well as provide the supplies needed for the children’s activities. Other attendees at the dinner included Stephanie Winslow, Rebecca Bolan, and Beth Cullen from the Newport School Committee, Angela Lima, head of Newport’s Democratic City Committee, and Stephanie Smyth from Newport City Council, who expressed a few words of gratitude for the community presence.
“Public education is a public good,” said Susan Sipprelle, Founder and Co-President of RENEWport. “RENEWport is working to build stronger connections between the Newport Public Schools and the wider community.” As part of its effort to strengthen community and civic engagement, RENEWport, with the support of the Rhode Island Foundation, will host Professor Robert Putnam, Presidential Medal of Honor awardee and author of “Bowling Alone” and “The Upswing.” He will give a lecture in April at Salve Regina University on the state of American democracy.
