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Our fifth grade students had an awesome experience yesterday. The administrators and a couple of the other teachers took them to an Episcopal parish in the Little Haiti section of Miami which is close to downtown. We partner with this parish and a lot of our fund raising efforts go to support this parish. The students have collected coins for doing chores, and put on a bake sale and spaghetti dinner already. The school as a whole collects food donations and will be collecting toys for Christmas.

What started out as "where can we take fifth grade while their teachers complete the report cards" turned into a marvelous opportunity for these children of privilege to see how much their efforts are appreciated. It's a good lesson for them, and for all of us who are fortunate to be able to provide for ourselves.

I got to talk to them briefly before dismissal yesterday and they were so excited about their day. It certainly was an eye opener for most of them who have never experienced true want.

this is awesome sf. these students will probably never forget this trip.
when my girls were in their teens they did a few trips with the church youth group to appalachia, both west virginia and ohio areas. it was one of the single events that made the biggest impression. they also did a few midnight runs into NYC.

Since I see all the fifth grade students everyday, I have taken the time to discuss their experiences and they are writing about it in their journals. I'm so proud of them that they have learned some wonderful lessons about helping those who are less fortunate. I think they realize how truly blessed they are.
What impressed them the most was that the priest turned on the AC in the church just for their visit. It is never turned on as the parish can't afford the electric bill. I pointed out to them that we complain about our classrooms being too cold...sounds like irony to me.

Our native American Indians had the right values -- potlatch. A man's wealth was measured not by what he had, but by what he gave away -- shared with his neighbors.

As a cub scout leader, my little cub scouts brought food for the food bank for Thanksgiving. The items they brought were soups and the cheapest, starchiest foods. The cub scout troop was from one of the most affluent neighborhoods and families in La Jolla where we lived. After their donations were all stacked and put away, we had a discussion about potlatch, the first Thanksgiving and how the American Indians feted the Pilgrims with fowl, the best foods from their stores for the winter.

At the next meeting we were inundated with canned hams, bottles of maraschino cherries, fruitcakes, canned fruits, sauces, gourmet foods for many Thanksgiving feasts. I was never so proud of my troop and of their parents as I was that day.

Makes it all worthwhile when the message gets through, doesn't it.

Kids are the most generous as givers i think....mainly because they have not learned greed yet.
It makes my heart glad to see kids involved in projects,it instills a better idea of sharing in them.