Tennessee first lady visits Knoxville school to promote summer serving

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - Tennessee First Lady Maria Lee visited South Knoxville Elementary Tuesday to help promote the Tennessee Kids Serve Summer Challenge.

The challenge is all about inspiring kindergarten through sixth grade students to devote a portion of their summer break to helping others. That can mean helping out the homeless, spending time with seniors or caring for the food insecure.

“I think getting kids at a young age to serve, helps them learn kindness, and compassion, empathy, it builds self esteem, it helps with their emotional wellbeing,” Lee said.

The challenge runs from June 1 to Aug. 1. Students that complete the challenge get a certificate signed by Lee, and those with the highest number of service hours are invited to a Summer Service Carnival.

“When I help people it makes me feel really good because [it] gives me a jolt of energy inside and it really makes me feel good when I help people,” South Knoxville Elementary fourth grader, Joseph Jordan, said.

If you want to register your child for the free service challenge click here. Select students will get to to go the Governor’s mansion for a carnival depending on how many hours of volunteer work they complete.

Copyright 2022 WVLT. All rights reserved.