Evergreen First Graders - Helping Their Community!

First Graders in Ms. Dube's Class Participate in a Service Learning Project!

As part of one of Ms. Sherwood’s (classroom aide at Evergreen) graduate action research projects, Miss Dube’s first grade class spent the last three weeks actively engaged in a service-learning project.

The project was called “Lemonade from Lemons”, and it was based on the quote, “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade”. The project was inspired by Alex Scott (founder of Alex’s Lemonade Stand) and aims to teach Alex’s inspiring message of making a difference, helping others, and overcoming obstacles to school-aged children (K-5) through children’s literature and service learning. The main focus of the program is to educate children on the value of philanthropy and the value of service to others.

The students spent time reading about young philanthropists and writing about how one person can make a difference. The service-learning project was paired with a character education component as well. The students read Heartprints by PK Hallinan and were challenged, as a class, to perform 100 deliberate acts of kindness at school, home, and in their community.

After one week of doing nice things at home and in school, the students took the project to the community level by organizing a penny drive. They wanted to involve their friends, family members and teachers in their efforts to give back to their community. After one week, the students, families, and faculty at Evergreen Elementary School raised $500 to be donated to the Emmanuel Cancer Foundation (ECF) located right here in Woodbury, New Jersey. The money will be used to help families care for children diagnosed with cancer by providing emotional and financial support.