Reading and feeding at Fremont STARS

25 October 2007 — What do geese, South America, reading, and Broadway have in common? All four are part of a community service project currently going on at Fremont STARS Elementary School.

Fourth and fifth graders at Fremont STARS are taking their studies beyond the classroom and learning ways to contribute to causes at home and abroad.

This week, the students will perform the Broadway Junior production of “Honk Junior,” a contemporary retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen classic “The Ugly Duckling.” But at Fremont, undertaking a project like this performance doesn’t just involve costumes and learning lines. That’s because whenever students conduct a production, they school requires them to conduct a community service project along with their play.

Fifth-grade teacher Megan Harlan has been coordinating this year’s project, which is called Read to Feed. Students have been conducting a fundraising campaign through reading, with the intention of using the funds to help others.

Half of the money raised by the Fremont students will stay in their own community. They will donate the money to the Friends of the Fremont Library to fund new materials in the building.

The other half of the money will help people the students will most likely never meet: the second half will go to Heifer International. Heifer International is an organization working to end world hunger. Instead of providing perishable food items, Heifer provides animals to needy families. The families learn to care for the animals and use them to produce food. In return, the families are required to donate one generation of offspring to another needy family, continuing the gift.

The students at Fremont have opted to purchase flocks of geese and ducks to donate to needy families in Central and South America.

“I thought it would be neat to do geese and ducks since it kind of went along with the play,” said Megan.

Logistically, she chose the flocks because they cost $20 each, while some of the larger livestock cost hundreds of dollars. She thought the geese and ducks would allow the kids to see themselves as having a bigger impact and helping more families.

She said the project ties the community service project to themes the classes have discussed in conjunction with the play, as well as subjects they will study later in the school year.

“A little later this year we study South and Central America,” said Megan. “What a great thought that we have already impacted these areas.”

Four classrooms worked together on the project, with 80 students raising over $200. Sponsoring children to read raised the money.

“Most kids had family members who sponsored them for a flat rate,” Megan said. “But some set goals, like $10 for every six books and things like that.”

With the half that goes to Heifer International, the children will be helping five families become self-sufficient.

Fourth grader Kristian Whaley said that she really liked working on the project.

“I loved it, because I help people just by reading,” she said. “They get food, pets, and education.”

And the teachers said they have really seen interest from their students on the issues they’ve discussed in relation to world hunger.

“I think this is a great opportunity for the students to give something to a family in need,” said fifth grade teacher Susan Boswell. “It teaches them compassion for others less fortunate than themselves.”

Megan said that her kids became enthused after receiving information packets from Heifer International. Each student received packets that included books, pamphlets, and other items to explore world hunger and what they can do about it.

“When we read the books, they discovered that some people eat guinea pigs,” she said. “They thought it was kind of gross, but really cool at the same time.”

The kids will cap off the project at the end of the month with a cast party, where they will find out the final total of money raised. They will also read to younger students on November 1 to earn those last dollars.

Megan hopes that this project will be the first of many for her students.

“They learn through small steps that they can change the world,” she said. And feeding five families in Central and South America is as good a place as any to start.

Back to this week's News Leader

Issue of 25 October 2007

Headlines

Briefs

Tale of transformation leads to giving

Fremont's mayoral candidates focus on growth, crime

wayne co. sheriff's report

Northern Lights ECA meeting

Red Ribbon events at local schools

Drought delays sewer fix benefits

Medicare Part D coverage

Heating assistance for Wilson residents

Football: CBA falls to Hunt

Soccer: CBA still perfect

Pigskin results

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