An adopt-a-school program is being implemented by the InterFraternity Council and the Panhellenic Council for the first time at Iowa State this semester.

“The adopt-a-school program is a way to give something back to the community,” said Pete Olson, IFC adopt-a-school program director.

The ISU program is one of 85 pilot programs set up through the National InterFraternity Council. Students choose an elementary school and volunteer time and assistance, Olson said.

The program is also open to non-greek ISU students.

The ISU adopt-a-school program selected Roosevelt Elementary School in Ames as the first school to offer their services, said Pam Laird, Panhellenic Council special projects director.

The first part of the project was to conduct a needs assessment to decide what area of the school needed the most help, Laird said.

The results of the assessment showed the children didn’t know how to interact with each other outside of the classroom, such as recess time.

“The goal for the program was to then help the children interact and initiate games during recess so that eventually the children could initiate games on their own,” Laird said. “We want to show the children how to include all of the kids in the games at recess, regardless of different backgrounds, and to show them how to play in a noncompetitive way.”

Laird said the program is needed because often kids are coming from single-parent families or broken families and teachers either lack the time or the resources to help them.

Olson added that the program is a good confidence builder for the children and, “The goal of the program is to help kids develop a liking for education. The ultimate goal for the adopt-a-school program is to get into the classroom and help with what teachers can’t do because of budget and time restraints.”