Reported by: Kelly MartinStudents at Fourth
Street Elementary School take pride in their service-learning projects—learning how to take care of the environment and how to teach younger students. But Saturday, they may be learning one of their most important lessons: how to help a sick classmate.
A car wash and beautification project will take place at the school starting at 9 a.m. Saturday to honor 4th-grader Christopher Smith, a classmate and a leukemia patient. As part of
Global Youth Service Day—a global event involving youth participating in community service projects—students will help to raise money for ‘
Coins for a Cure,’ a non-profit organization dedicated to leukemia research.
“It’s neat to see the kids doing something that is making a difference,” said 2nd-grade teacher Nichole Mayse. “Plus, they understand why they are doing it.”
Learning To Love
Participating in ‘Coins for a Cure’ is nothing new for Fourth Street Elementary. With Smith being diagnosed in the summer of 2007, the school decided to kick off the fundraiser last year. Many kids collected money in aluminum cans from people around the area, asking for donations.
In the months of February and March this year, the school has collected $149,797 from participating in this fundraiser. But Carol Smith, Christopher’s mother, wanted everyone to know that each person doesn’t have to donate a large amount of money in order to make a difference.
“Any money at all is greatly appreciated,” she said.
The students listened. Even when they only had a few pennies, they knew that a little bit could go a long way.
“They would rather give up their snack money to know it is going to make someone better here,” said Mayse.
And that is exactly what the students have learned through service projects: being a role model by showing compassion. With participating in other projects for Christopher throughout the year, students were able to learn about and the significance of leukemia and how important it is to help those with the illness.
With service-learning projects school-wide this year, Fourth Street students have contributed to helping Christopher in many different ways. Some of these activities include collecting and counting money, writing letters to businesses asking for donations and participating in fundraising contests. Mayse’s class made non-fiction animal books and donated them to the hospital.
No matter what the activity, Fourth Street students know they are being role models. Second-grade student Dominique Gallicchio is making sure she attends to help fight the cause.
“I’m looking forward to going and raising money for the foundation,” she said.
As for those that can’t attend, many have still found ways to be a part of it. Paul Maxwell, another 2nd-grade student, happened to collect $5 from passing out flyers about the event.
Learning To Lead
Service-learning projects have become a major part of Fourth Street students’ education. While many teachers have always participated in service projects, this year marks the first in which they are involved in projects that have expanded and become part of a bigger cause.
Aside from helping Christopher battle leukemia, Mayse’s students have also helped other students in the school. By taking on roles as teachers to aid younger grade levels, the students have learned to be a role model by showing poise.
“I would tell them, ‘If you act up, they will act up,’” Mayse said.
The students were happily surprised to see their leadership skills pay off. Through teaching students about plants, they were able to more clearly see that they were, indeed, making a difference. Kaleem happened to see the difference in the kids he taught.
“It was good to know that they had fun doing the learning projects,” he said.
Mayse also saw that teaching helped the kids to become more confident. One day at school, the teacher was trying to line the kids up and get them to clap their hands as their cue to be quiet. Little did she know that the students were already listening—but not to her.
“Dominique took control and told everyone, ‘you guys move back there!’” said Mayse. “I said, ‘OK, you don’t need me!’”
Not only did the students learn about who they were, but they also leaned class topics quickly. When asking Kaleem what he learned when teaching younger students about plants, he didn’t even hesitate.
“They need water, sunlight and nutrients,” he said matter-of-factly.
Tying It All Together
On Saturday, the students will use their teaching and service experience by helping coordinate the car wash and planting. One of the best parts about all of their service projects: they build on skills learned inside the classroom. Mayse had the students make flyers to hang up before the event and brochures to pass out during it. The kids learned computer skills and the process of making displays for events.
“They now like to do things for the school,” she said. “They are excited to go to school now.”
Service-learning projects and classroom learning go hand in hand at Fourth Street Elementary. What a student may not learn in the classroom will probably be learned through a service project.
While these students have learned many important life lessons, they also have one to teach others: a few pennies can make all of the difference in the world.
