October 21, 2009 - Recently, Maplewood Elementary School held their Character Education assembly. Students from all grades gathered in the gymnasium to celebrate the upcoming year’s character ed. goals. The event started off with a rousing rendition of “This Little Light of Mine” by three fifth grade trombone players, Jakob Cansler, Michael Steminsky and Eva VonDell.

Maplewood elementary also launched their Rachel’s Challenge program at the assembly. Rachel’s Challenge is named after Rachel Joy Scott. The program inspires students and others to implement positive changes at school and in the community. Rachel’s Challenge is based upon Rachel's acts of kindness and compassion and her strong principles, which she outlined in her six diaries. Scott unexpectedly passed away in 1999. Maplewood students watched a short film that outlined the 2009-10 challenge.

Shortly afterwards, Maplewood launched a canned food drive that will run until Thanksgiving. The goal is to amount 500 cans of food before the end of November. As the students drop off their cans, the school will keep track of the overall number by indicating it on a giant thermometer. The students responded with a resounding “Yes!” when asked if they thought they could exceed 500 cans of food by Thanksgiving.