GPS District Digest (v4, i4)

Has anyone noticed how much we write about food in the GPS District Digest? And really, it would be no different if you came into the newsroom to hear the chatter amongst the staff. Food and coffee are two big topics around here. Come on by for a cup of Joe and some Halloween candy.

Issue No. 4 has a plethora of great Greenwich Public Schools news. Not only do we have information on food, but there is music, video games, and pie. Pie? Yup, more food.

And lest we forget to mention that we heard from our No. 1 fan, Rachel K., after releasing issue No. 3. You keep telling us how much you like us, and we will keep listening!

Enjoy Issue No. 4 and thanks for reading! Tell a friend.

GPS District Digest

When you read the Greenwich Time over your morning coffee last week, did you read the article about Greenwich High School junior Jacob Korff and his side gig?

Education Reporter Annelise Hanshaw wrote about how he built Aio's Wraparound Difficulty Chart, a video game obstacle course with 300 levels that increase in difficulty every 20 levels. He dotted the levels with a few strategically placed challenging courses.

Two years since the game's launch on Roblox, a platform for user-generated games, players are still returning to the obstacle course, and Korff continues to make money ($17,000 and counting).

"We were surprised and very proud of Jacob," Jacob's father, John Korff, told the Digest. "I once told him I would match his first paycheck. I thought that would be $84.12 from a week of scooping ice cream. I had no idea it would be $17,000!"

Jacob told the Greenwich Time that he is not done yet. We cannot wait to see what's next!

The good folks at the Greenwich Department of Human Services (GDHS) asked us to help spread the word of their amazing work in our community.

GDHS serves as a community bridge. In addition to providing direct services, they connect clients to the essential resources of the community. They tell us the purpose of the Greenwich Department of Human Services Fund is to solicit, receive, and distribute philanthropic donations and other gifts of money, goods, and services to benefit the various programs and activities of the GDHS.

The 2022 Holiday Aid Program provides financially eligible Greenwich residents with food, clothing, toys, and gift cards for the Winter Holidays. The Greenwich Human Services Fund program is made possible by generous donations from community organizations, church groups, corporations, and private individuals.

They are seeking monetary donations or $25 gift cards to Walmart or Target. Gift cards will be distributed to Greenwich families so that they can purchase clothing and/or toys for their children. The deadline for gift card donations is Friday, December 9.

For more information, look at their flyer below, or head to their website.

Last week, Western Middle School held the third annual PINK Pie a Principal event. Money was raised for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. In the first two years of the event, $1,000 was raised, but this year alone, more than $1,100 was raised.

WMS Social Studies Teacher Ms. Olivia Traina tells the Digest that they sold Pink "West Side Best Side" shirts to staff members and had AVID student volunteers assist with selling pink bracelets and necklaces in the morning to all students and staff. Their online fundraising page was shared with parents and staff and was met with great success.

To highlight the occasion, students voted for their favorite administrator to get a pie in the face! Watch the video below to see who "won" and see an appearance by a special guest.

Earlier this month, students at Old Greenwich dropped off a huge collection of brand new art supplies, generously donated by the OGS community, to the Boys & Girls Club of Stamford's Yerwood Center on Fairfield Avenue.

The Yerwood Center is located in Stamford, right over the OG border, and is very much a local center in need of support. Old Greenwich School has been partnering with them to provide outreach and community service from OG students to their children.

The Digest is keeping the streak alive by reaching out to GPS Food Service Director David Nanarello for the fourth straight issue. We love to see what is happening in the cafeterias and lunchrooms around GPS.

For this issue, Mr. Nanarello takes us into Hamilton Avenue School to show us festive fall decorations and amazing options, including fat-free and 1% milk and a variety of unlimited fresh fruits and vegetables to choose from. Lead Cook Amira Romeo and Food Service Workers Miriam Arias and William Ortega serve with a smile!

As always, Mr. Nanarello encourages families to use the Food Service Department as a resource in setting up lunch accounts, navigating menus and of course any allergy concerns. Feel free to reach out anytime!

Proud GPS parent, April Hardwick, alerted us that a group of families came together last week to organize a bake sale in front of Old Greenwich and Riverside Schools to raise money to support hurricane relief efforts in South Florida. Amazingly, they raised more than $1,600 combined!

These much needed funds will be sent to Feeding South Florida and Collier Community Foundation to help those in need.

"From one coastal community to another," Ms. Hardwick said, "it is so nice to have local families come together to support another community in need."

She wanted to be sure to give a huge thank you to all the families, DiMare Pastry Shop and Cathy Cassidy for their donations.

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