Fifth Graders Help Haiti, You can too!
Source/Author: Tedra Tatelbaum, Fifth Grade English Teacher
January 20, 2017
Fifth graders are engaged in an in-depth, project based learning unit about Haiti. Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere and one of our North American neighbors in dire need. After suffering through a devastating earthquake in 2010, and more recently Hurricane Matthew, Shorecrest has asked to collaborate with Youth Partners With Haiti to help the Haitians.
Throughout first trimester, the young, global citizens extensively studied in their English, Social Studies and Art courses information about Haiti’s land, resources, culture, education, medical needs, history and art. Fifth graders also read this year’s Sunshine State Young Reader’s Novel, “Serafina’s Promise” by Ann E. Burg, which is a fictional story about a young Haitian girl who experiences all of the things they researched. From there, fifth graders collaborated with our Upper School Service Leaders, juniors Juliette S and Evan S, as well as Robert Rehl of Youth Partners With Haiti to brainstorm ways they could support Shorecrest’s Service Week trip in March. Upper School Chargers will travel to Haiti to paint schools and libraries, and distribute the items listed below. Father John Gerth from Eckerd College, who has taken numerous mission trips to Haiti and serves on the Board of Directors of an orphanage there, also spoke to students about compassion and making a difference.
From these insightful conversations, the fifth graders narrowed down numerous, brilliant ideas of how to help to Four Main Categories: Personal Needs, Educational Needs, Recreational Needs and Painting with a Purpose.
The list is long, but the items the fifth graders are collecting through January are inexpensive. They are asking the Shorecrest community to NOT purchase items, rather search their homes, closets and garages WITH their child(ren) and donate gently used items (except for the Personal Needs items.) Families are urged to have discussions with their child(ren) about the importance of having compassion for others on their road to becoming global citizens. Bins will be located throughout the school community. Feel free to tweet your assistance in the fifth graders’ efforts using #SPSbeglobal or #ShorecrestValues.
Donation ideas:
- Personal Needs (new only): hairbrushes, toothbrushes, toothpaste, head bands/hair ties, soap, feminine products, hand sanitizer or deodorant. Gently used items: mirrors, blankets, shoes or clothing.
- Recreational Needs: Playing Cards, Dominoes, LEGOs, puzzles, checkers, deflated soccer balls, volleyballs or footballs, jump ropes or frisbees! Craft Kits, beads, string, used rainbow looms, matchbox cars, action figures, trains, dolls or stuffed animals.
- Educational Needs: Highlighters, crayons, notebook paper, pencil pouches, chalk, stickers, Dry Erase boards, Expo Markers, Tip Top French booklets, pencils, erasers, glue, scissors, notecards, rulers, markers, colored pencils, coloring books or notebooks.
- Painting Needs: rollers, painter’s tape, paint brushes or tins for pouring paint.
