Afterschool Program Shows Appreciation for NVRH Frontline Staff

St. Johnsbury School students in grades 5 through 8 hand out 100 grab-n-go snacks for Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH) frontline staff to show their appreciation on Wednesday, May 4, 2022. L-R: Alexander Donaghy, Carol Hale, Karsyn Boutin, Haley Lacourse, Maddie Tinder, Bradyen Isham, Peyton Degree, Sabrina Tinder, Tammy MacQueen, Abby Brown, Helena Maquire, Alissa Gonyer, Jazmyn Briggs, Maya Welch, April Sholan, Gracie Patrick.

ST. JOHNSBURY, VT (May 16, 2022) – On Wednesday, May 4, 2022, students in the St. Johnsbury School’s afterschool program, the Sunshine Squad, handed out about 100 grab-n-go snacks for Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH) frontline staff to show their appreciation.

This is the second year of the Sunshine Squad. This year the group received a $5,000 grant from Vermont Community Foundations NEK Fund. Throughout the school year, the group meets once a week to work on spreading happiness within the community.

“The purpose of this group, other than spreading sunshine, is to teach students about kindness, compassion and empathy,” team leader April Sholan said.

At the beginning of the year, the group created a list of projects that they would like to organize. This year one of the most memorable projects have been going to NVRH to hand out snacks and cards. Students enjoyed meeting nurses, doctors, hospital staff, and NVRH CEO Shawn Tester.

The Sunshine Squad has also sung Christmas carols at the St. Johnsbury Health & Rehab, volunteered at Northeast Kingdom Community Action (NEKCA), sent a surprise delivery of pizza and soda to surrounding first responders, delivered coffee and donuts to The St. Johnsbury Police Department and Fire Station, donated new pajamas, books and stuffed animals to DCF, and much more. Just a few weeks ago, they walked around St. Johnsbury handing out envelopes of “sunshine” to any and all strangers they came upon. Those envelopes contained inspirational quotes and phrases.

“We are so proud of the work these students have done to better our community,” Sholan added. “And we all look forward to spreading so much sunshine in the years to come.”

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