Ridpath principal gets lift to roof

Thursday, May 21, 2009
Ridpath Elementary principal Janice True, right, and Greencastle Community School Corp. superintendent Robert Green, center, are lifted onto the Ridpath roof with the assistance of Greencastle Fire Chief Bill Newgent. Students were challenged to bring in 500 canned food items, and True promised she would sit on the roof in a costume if they met their goal. The students collected more than 600 items.

If Ridpath Elementary principal Janice True had any doubts about the ability of her school's staff and students to rise to a challenge, they're probably gone now.

Several weeks ago, True told her students that if they could collect 500 canned food items for the Greencastle Christian Church Food Pantry, she would dress up in a costume and sit on the school's roof during field day.

The students exceeded that goal, and True kept her word. While the students participated in field day events Wednesday, she was perched on the roof.

True left for a seminar a few days before the end of the contest thinking the goal might not be met. While she was gone, numerous e-mails and phone calls went out to people encouraging them to keep bringing in canned goods.

One of the many e-mails that went out included statements such as, "We can't let her off the hook." By the time True got back to school there were over 600 canned items stacked outside her office.

"Can you imagine her face when she comes back and sees all that food?" Ridpath teacher Kathy Lewis said with a laugh.

Superintendent Robert Green went up on the roof with True.

When asked how he got involved he replied with a chuckle," I did something stupid. I volunteered."

Children shouted and clapped as True appeared dressed in a clown outfit ready to take a ride to the rooftop of the school.

"I just want to make you proud," she said to Green, who was dressed a bit more conservatively in an Arizona cowboy hat and blue jeans.

Greencastle Fire Chief Bill Newgent pulled up to the school with a ladder truck. Aided by Putnam County Sheriff's Department Deputy Mike O'Hair, he stabilized the truck and brought down the bucket for True and Green to climb into.

"It's a nice day to go up on the roof," True said as she and Green made their way up.

True spent the rest of the day with her chair, umbrella and cooler overlooking students as they enjoyed their annual field day.

Student Council members from the school delivered the donated food items to the food pantry on Monday.

For more scenes from the day at Ridpath, click here.

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