05/14/2026
Growing a better community, together
Jackson Township welcomed 115 seventh-grade students from the Cougar Team at Ryan Gloyer Middle School (RGMS) who volunteered their time, and even better, strengthened connections through their Community Grown service program on Tuesday, May 12.
This year, students spent the day at Sippel Reservoir Park, where they participated in a variety of activities. Working alongside the Public Works Department, students mulched playgrounds and trailheads and weeded plant beds. They also washed vehicles with the Police Department and took part in a municipal planning activity led by the Township Planning Director. The day concluded with lunch, games and team-building activities.
“Community service is vital to the teaching and learning that takes place at RGMS. Sgt. 1st Class Ryan A. Gloyer gave everything for his Country, and in his honor, we ask our students to give of themselves to better serve their community,” stated RGMS Principal Trisha Butschle. “The Community Grown Project allows our students to live out these values in meaningful and impactful ways.”
According to the District, the program, developed in 2023, is a building-wide service-learning initiative in which each RGMS team, consisting of seventh and eighth-grade students, partners with one of the nine municipalities within the Seneca Valley School District, including Jackson Township. The goal of the program is to facilitate and empower students to serve others, develop connections to the community and become more experienced individuals.
