Well, good afternoon everyone. It is a great day here in the Harrisburg School District at Steel Elementary School in the Uptown section of the city of Harrisburg. I'm Kirsten Keys and I am the proud public relations coordinator for the Harrisburg School District. It
is my privilege and honor to welcome you on behalf of our superintendent, Dr. Benjamin Henry and our school board of directors uh of which uh Madame President uh Rosman Copelan is here with us today representing our school board. And then we also have other uh staff and
administrators with the school district as well as our esteemed dignitaries with Harrisburg City Council and our students. So we do bring you greetings and welcome to Steel Elementary School on behalf of Dr. Francis Etchevaria and
uh assistant principal Akila Hassan. At this time, it is my honor to introduce to some and present to others the fifth grade students of Steel Elementary School. Let's give them a warm welcome and applause.
They are going to come and introduce themselves and then they are going to lead us in the pledge of allegiance. So, at that time, I would ask that you would stand and join them. Good afternoon. My name is Ayana Mitchell and I am a student of Still
Elementary, treasure of student council. >> Good afternoon. My name is Desar Johnson. I am a student of Steel Elementary, fifth grade, class of 2026. Good afternoon. My name is Antinet Milano and I am a fifth grade student of
class of 2026. Good afternoon. My name is Pandora Goffrey Harris and I am a student of Steel Elementary, class of 2026. >> Hi. Um, my name is Amaya White. I am president of student council. I would like you to please stand for our
pledge of allegiance. >> What? >> Where's it at? >> Oh, okay. There we go. So, here we go. You ladies can all cuddle around the microphone. Here we go. And we're going to do the pledge of allegiance.
One, two, three. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
>> Let's recite our school pledge. I pledged to have high work ethics, respect myself and others, and to honor the dignity of every member of our school family. One voice, one people, one world in harmony with peace,
freedom, and justice for all. >> Our school mission. We are prepared for success in school and in life. >> We may be seated. Let's give these amazing fifth grade students from Steel Elementary School a tremendous and big round of applause. Uh
today they are joined with their school counselor, Mrs. Carara Bakfonti, and also with the school's administrative assistant, Mrs. Joselyn De Jesus. At this time, it is my honor to introduce and bring to the podium Dr.
Christy Thompson. She is the chief of schools for the Harrisburg School District. >> Good afternoon everyone. >> Good afternoon. >> How's everybody doing? >> Well, we are so excited and happy to have you here with us in the building seeing great things of our scholars. But
on behalf of our superintendent, Dr. Benjamin Henry and the Harrisburg School Board of Directors, our chairperson here, of course, Roslin Copelan. We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the Harrisburg City Council and the Harrisburg Public Schools
Foundation for this meaningful partnership and generous support. Today's adopt a classroom check presentation is more than just a financial contribution. It is a powerful statement of commitment to our students,
our educators, and the future of our community. By adopting these six classes across our district, you are directly investing in the tools, the resources, and opportunities that help our students
thrive. As you see here today, we are especially grateful to Councilwoman Danielle Hill and Chris Baldridge for your leadership and dedication in making this initiative possible. Your collaboration demonstrates what can be
achieved in our community with our leaders and educators. As we come together with a shared purpose to our principles, teachers, and students, this is the support for you. We hope it inspires continued excellence in the
classrooms and remind you that your community stands firmly behind you. Thank you again to everyone involved for your generosity, your partnership, and unwavering beliefs in our potential
students. Together, we can build brighter futures. Thank you. Thank you so much, Dr. Thompson, for those powerful and warm and welcoming remarks. At this time, please put your hands together and let's welcome the
Honorable Danielle Hill, President of Harrisburg City. Thank you. Good afternoon, everyone. >> Thank you for participating in our program today. You are wonderful. Um, I am Danielle Hill. I serve as the
president of Harrisburg City Council and I'm so excited to be joined by my colleagues here today. We have Vice President Lamont Jones who serves as our budget and finance committee chair. We have Councilwoman Jocelyn Ross who serves as our parks, recreation, and
enrichment committee chair. We have Councilman Robert Lawson who serves as our community and economic development committee chair. Councilman Ralph Rodriguez, who serves as our public works committee chair, and Councilwoman Asha Green, who serves as our public
safety committee chair. So, thank you all for joining us and participating today. Um, we are so excited about the opportunity to partner um with the Harrisburg School District and the Harrisburg Public Schools Foundation um on this effort of adopting classrooms
across the district. Um, we had an appropriation within our budget for community engagement. And what better way to invest in our children, our young people who will be future leaders as we saw here today within our city and our
community at large. So, thank you for the opportunity to participate in this program portion. Um, and we look forward to our check presentations to come. Thank you. Thank you so much, Madame President Danielle Hill. At this time, I'd like to
uh bring forth our next uh presenter to share opening remarks, and that's none other than Mr. Chris Baldridge, executive director of the Harrisburg Public Schools Foundation. Uh, good afternoon and once again, great job. Um, as a retired school principal,
it's great to see these kids blossom and let's get another round of applause cuz as council woman says, this is our future and looks very, very bright. So, thank you. Um, on behalf of the foundation, just want to thank you all for coming. Um, this is a great
partnership between the city council and the school district. Um the adopted classroom program has really taken flight in over the last couple years and we're proud to over oversee this. All the money is donated go directly back into the classrooms. Uh we do not take a
percentage of anything so we just pass it right through um so we can be safe. Um, but it has done great things such as field trips, after school programs, materials, um, a lot of things that teachers need to have in their classrooms that students want that unfortunately the district's not able to
provide. So, it's a great great partnership. Um, it's also a great partnership for community members to come in and volunteer um, to mentor and to help. So, I appreciate the council's thoughts and their decision to support this program. And I know on behalf of
the foundation board members, we greatly say thank you and look forward to a a great successful program. So, thank you. Well, it's that time that we've all been waiting for, the time that we've gathered here for today, and it is for the adopt the classroom check
presentation. So, at this time, I'd like for our city council and our school district representatives to please come forward as we introduce the schools and the principles that will be receiving checks today. And principles, we'll call you up one by one.
Mr. Al Alo, I'm going to move this over a bit so that we have a clear view for the photo op. Uh I Okay, great. But they are for their >> No, I know that. >> But the principal won't be sharing the mark. So, we're probably going to leave that here.
>> It'll pick it up. >> It'll pick it up. Okay. Our expert says that it will pick it up. >> All right. for our 2026 adopt a classroom check presentation. First, we have Ben Franklin Elementary School located in the heart of
Harrisburg at 1205 North 6th Street and the principal is none other than Dr. Scott Lindsy. shaking everybody. >> Will you stand out more in the middle? We can't see the amount. >> All right. Are you going to make some
room there? So, you should blank him on the side. There you go, everybody. >> Did you move to get closer? Everybody, Maddie, you good? You got that photo out? Cheers. >> There you go. That's it. >> All right, Dr. Lindsay, would you like
to say a few words? >> On the staff of Ben Franklin Elementary School, we just like to say thank you for your generous donation. Uh the school being in the heart of Midtown, we really try to work to keep the community in mind when we do our programming and we love the support that we have from Harrisburg City Council and the city
government coming into Bened Franklin and supporting and mentoring our kids. Thank you. And next we have Lincoln Elementary School located in the heart of Harrisburg at 1601 State Street where the esteemed principal is none
other than Mr. Jason Rolls. You know that guy squeezes. >> I could have done that. >> All right, Mr. No way looking at it. >> All right. On on behalf of my staff at
Lincoln, the families and the students uh city council, thank you for your donation, your support, and I'll make sure it gets done wisely. >> YEAH. No problem with the insurance. >> Located in the heart of Allison Hill, we have Mel Rose Elementary School where
the esteemed principal is none other than Mr. Matthew Shore. Yes, sir. >> Thank you. Absolutely. Oh god. >> Thank you, >> uh, city council and Mr.
to the Harrisburg family. Uh, thank you on behalf of Melrose specifically for this uh, check. It is Miss Williams class in fifth grade. Uh so it is such an honor to receive this on behalf of Miss Williams class in fifth grade and
to just all the fine work that comes from you all is is greatly appreciated for our schools in our schools and our community. So thank you. We are going to travel to the heart of downtown Harrisburg where we have Harrisburg High School Site Tech campus
where the esteemed principal is none other than Dr. Hiel Ayala. You're welcome. >> Where should I go? Is this good? >> Show say look up there. do my best life.
>> All right. Thank you. >> I just want to thank everyone for supporting our Hyros High School site campus. On behalf of all the students, the staff and the student and uh the community, much gracias. I really appreciate it. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT, we are leaving downtown and we are headed to the south side of Harrisburg where we have Footh Elementary School, the estin principal of Mr. Will Hicks, receiving the check in his honor will be none other than our
chief of schools, Dr. Christy Thompson. Good. After the click, we're good. >> Oh, we're good. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you. >> On behalf of H Elementary School family, we want to thank you very much for this
monetary gift. The students will cherish and use it wisely. Thank you. >> Feel like they've been using quite a bit of gas, right? going around any of Harrisburg. And so our last stop, we come back to Uptown Harrisburg, right
here at the Steel Elementary School located on Fifth Street in the heart of Harrisburg to receive the check on behalf of Dr. Francis Edaria. We'd like to bring forth Miss Joselyn De Jesus, the school
and Dr. Chief on behalf of Steel and Dr. Johnson will share. >> You can stand with me. On behalf of our administrators, um, thank you for the support for our
students and our families. Yes. And I echo those sentiments. We are so excited to continue to have a strong partnership which takes all of us in order to do what's right for our children. Thank you, Harrisburg City Council, Harrisburg Public Schools Foundation. Thank you so
so very much. This is so meaningful and so important and we are truly truly grateful. At this time, we are preparing to close out today's presentation and I'd be remiss if I didn't take a moment to say thank you to everyone who has attended. And let's give it up one more
time for our incredible community. In closing remarks, I'd like to bring forth our board president for the Harrisburg School Board of Directors, President Roslin Copeland, who will share remarks and then we'll be closed out by Mr. Cedric Humphrey, the
assistant clerk for the city of Harrisburg, Harrisburg City Council. Well, good evening everyone. And if you guys don't mind the students, can you guys come up please? I like to understand why I'm here, right? So you guys can come over. You
can sit. So let them get situated. There you go. Come on in, girls. There you go. So, on behalf of the Harrisburg School District, I am Rosyn Copelan, your board president. And on behalf of our board, our administrative, thank you guys. And
actually, I'm thankful for the city council, President uh Hill, and all of you and the foundation. Thank you. But my main thing is I'm here for students. So, sometimes we can, you know, get confused on our position, but I was elected not just on behalf of the
community, but to do right by our students. So with that, thank you students for all you're doing because this is our future and is determined on what you guys want to see and you are already doing just that. So thank you. We appreciate you and all that could be here. And with that, I always give uh
honor to God to be here and to continue to do the work and fight the good fight of what faith. Thank you. Thank you everybody for being here. As said before, my name is Cedric Humphrey. I'm the assistant city clerk for the city of Harrisburg. And I just want to thank um everybody that was uh
participating in this event to make it what it was today. I specifically want to thank Chris Baldridge and the public schools foundation for all the work that they do alongside the school district ensuring that the students and the teachers in the district have everything that they need. I want to thank Kristen Keys and the school district as a whole
for offering this space for us today to do this presentation and also for being there for the students every single day. You know, as I recall when we were discussing how to use these funds, we wanted to make sure that they were um going specifically and directly to
Harrisburg students, you know, in ways that would impact their lives. And I believe 100% that these funds will go uh will be used in a way that will impact Harrisburg students day-to-day lives. And so I just thank you all so much for being here. Thank you all for the work that you do and we appreciate it all.
Thank you. >> Thank you.