Several groups of students displayed their projects in the library and gave presentations about what they were doing for their service learning projects. The students received praise from teachers, the superintendent, school committee members, local members of the legislature and representatives of the school department.

"Most students know that anytime something big happens they invite me into the schools to celebrate the good work they have done," Superintendent Kenneth DiPietro said to students at the celebration. "You know something big has happened now because I am here along with Rep. Moffitt, Sen. Blais, Police Chief O'Rourke, and representatives from the school department. We are celebrating your hard work and dedication to your service learning projects. What you do in school should make a difference in the community. Whatever it was you did for your project in school, it was directly applied to help the community and you deserve a big applause for that."

Sen. Leo R. Blais (R- Dist. 21, Coventry, Foster, Scituate) said, after looking at all the projects displayed in the library, he was very impressed.

"There is great motivation of the teachers that have initiated these projects," Blais said. "It is not just about what you learn within these four walls of the school, it is how you apply this knowledge to the community. It is so important to do these projects for the community because we need you."

Groups of students from two elementary schools presented their projects. Third-grade students at Western Coventry Elementary School are doing a project titled "Western's Watershed Watch." The students sang a song detailing their project, which explained that they are testing water from the pond located on the school's property, and they will learn about water quality while monitoring the watershed.

Third-graders at Washington Oak Middle School are working on a project called "Seedlings for Supper," in which they are planting and growing vegetables and flowers for the Rhode Island Food Bank.

"Here at Coventry High School, we have always strived to achieve the best," said James DiPrete, chairman of the Board of Regents and former principal of Coventry High School. "What is going on here is at the forefront of what is going on in the state. The service learning program here in Rhode Island is spreading across the country. We are asking our students to do more than take a paper and pencil test and pass it. What we are asking them to do is even more difficult. We are asking them to show us what they know and demonstrate what they have learned. We are celebrating what students have done out in the community. You don't get too far without hitting any bumps. Nothing is easy, and, if it is easy, it is probably not worth anything."

After the elementary students received their certificates of recognition from School Committee Chairman Raymond Spear, a group of middle school students presented their project, titled "Students Against Vandalism Everywhere."

Students Against Vandalism is a group of students who have studied vandalism in the town. The students have created posters and PowerPoint presentations to be displayed and presented at local schools and community groups to inform them about the economic, social, and psychological cost of vandalism to individuals and the community, the students said in their presentation.

"We went around to all the local schools and asked students if they have or know someone who has been a victim of vandalism," said Charles Blanchette, who assists the students with their group. "Ninety percent of the kids raised their hands. These kids felt fear, and this was the first time they had an outlet to get it out. We want them to know that there is something they can do."

Police Chief Brian O'Rourke handed out awards to members of Students Against Vandalism. He also handed out awards to recognize another service learning project by a group of Coventry High School Students, titled "Safer Streets Through Science." Using data provided by the Coventry Police Department, students analyzed motor vehicle traffic violations and accident information. The data will be imported into a geographic information system map. Using a global positioning system, the students will obtain exact locations for these areas and students will plot the information on a street map, then make recommendations to the police department as to ways to decrease the likelihood of future incidents, the students said in their presentation.

"Both these groups are doing a great job," O'Rourke said. "It is a thankless job and they deserve much more publicity than they are receiving. They are doing a great job to make this community a safer place for everyone."

Several other high school groups presented service learning projects and received certificates of recognition from the school committee.

These included: "Rhode Island RHYME Celebration," which brings students together from different Rhode Island communities to perform rhymes, finger plays, songs, games, and dance about different cultures; "Court Yard Renovation Phase I," which improves the condition of the outside courtyard at Coventry High School; "Welding Repair Shop," which repairs broken furniture in classrooms; "Ceramic Food," which creates ceramic sculptures for display in the Knotty Oak Room and other local food-related businesses; and "School-Wide Publication of the Entry," a project to write, edit, design, and print a school-side publication.

The students' projects were documented with photographs and write-ups and displayed around the high school's library.

"It is very rare that a Republican quotes a Democrat, and this might be a first, but John F. Kennedy once said 'Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country,'" Sen. Victor Moffitt (R-Dist. 28, Coventry) said. "The students in Coventry are doing what they can for the community and they will grow up and not only do work for Coventry and Rhode Island, but for the nation also."

Other projects displayed at the meeting included: "The Book Club," in which students participated in a book club to share their enjoyment of reading and to promote literacy in the schools; "Sharing Success," in which students videotape others presenting exemplary Capstone projects; "Students Inspiring Students Through Chemistry," in which 10th-grade students utilized science content knowledge and skills to research, prepare, and present a chemical demonstration to fifth-grade students; "Deer Damage Management on Moosup River Farm," in which students assess the impact of an increasing number of deer on a local community-based farm; "Fun With Friends," in which creative cooking students study, select, and adjust several recipes to meet nutrition guidelines from the Food and Drug Administration and the district wellness policy; and "Automotive Shop," in which automotive career and technical students studied and practiced their skills for automotive maintenance and repair by servicing athletic vans and other school staff vehicles.

The Rhode Island state civics curriculum coordinator, Diana Crowley, commended the students for their hard work on all of the projects. She also said Coventry was one of the top towns in the state when it comes to Service Learning.

"Martin Luther King once said 'Everybody can be great because everyone can serve,' and that is exactly what the students of Coventry have done," Crowley said. "Sometimes people need to stop and look at the great work that is going on around them. I've been the curriculum coordinator in the state for 17 years, and service learning and civic education has played a very small role nationally. What Coventry students have been doing for the past four years in remarkable and I cannot think of any other district who has accomplished as much as you have. The community has come together and has become the most dynamic civic education in the state."