Woodbridge Middle is “adopting” Gulfview Middle School in Naples, Florida. What “adopting a school” means is that WMS is helping them out because they were hit hard by Hurricane Irma.

The school and the district’s other schools were used for shelter for the aftermath of the storm. The ones left homeless, or living in homes with no power came to the schools for shelter. The school provided the needs for those who were left homeless. Mr. Harris, the Vice Principal stated, “It is excellent that WMS is helping out another school.” He also went on to say that “when we need help, it would be nice if another school will help us.”

GMS students returned to school on September 26th and the student were happy to return to school. Hopes were high as a picture on the website read, “We survived Irma!”

Woodbridge Middle School is continuing the trend of hope by raising money for the school. WMS is also sending letters to the school to help them out and make them feel better, which also provides an opportunity to establish “pen-pals”. Mr. Malmstrom, language arts teacher at WMS, stated, “I love the idea of students writing letters to another school, I’ve always wanted an opportunity to write to another school in another part of the country as pen pals.”

When explaining the program to students, an announcement describes the school as “a school like ours.” Meaning that they have clubs and activities like WMS, and they are comprised of grades 6th to 8th.

GMS has sports like WMS; some of their sports include, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, dance, and cross country. GMS has activities like 5k runs and band concerts.

GMS has something called students of the week, which are students that did very well during the week and they get a reward. This system is similar to Woodbridge Middle’s student of the month program. WMS rewards them with a certificate and they get a picture, and article written about them, which goes on the school website.

This week WMS is hosting a spirit week to raise money for Gulfview Middle. During the week students can donate a dollar a day or three dollars in total to wear specific clothes. Students can “twin” with a friend, dress Hawaiian, dress like a superhero, wear old-school clothes on “Throwback Thursday”, and rock their favorite school gear for school spirit day.

WMS has raised $600 dollars for Gulfview Middle as a result of school spirit week. Gulfview Middle School will now have a place in WMS student hearts.