Kindergarten Students Partner with School in Haiti
Last year, the Kindergarten class developed an exciting partnership with Wings Over Haiti, a Long Island-based foundation created after the 2010 earthquake to provide food, water, and other support to displaced families.
During several discussions, students learned basic facts about the current condition of Haiti and its people, as well as the causes and impact of earthquakes. They also considered what life would be like without enough food and water, or even a roof overhead.
They were very concerned to hear that children at a school created by Wings Over Haiti are fed only one hot meal per day, with little or no food available at the temporary shelters where they have lived for several months. During brainstorming sessions about what our community could do to help, they decided to collect non-perishable food items to be delivered to the temporary shelters. They designed posters (see photo) which they placed throughout the school requesting donations from our families. Our families were very generous and, during three separate food collections, the students gathered 7 boxes of food.
Students also raised money to help cover the expense of teaching staff at the Wings Over Haiti school. Our young students staffed “pop-up” stores in their classrooms, at which they sold posters, stickers, cards and other items decorated with their handprints and other artwork. This effort raised more than $785.
In addition to raising awareness and resources for the earthquake victims, our students are part of an information exchange program with their Haitian peers. Students from the two schools will continue to exchange information about their daily lives with their families and in school, making this a mutually beneficial global partnership.
