WCPS students prepare, collect food for needy
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on November 25, 2009 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/MITCH LOEBER
Meadow Lane Elementary first grade students Ariana Stefanut, 6, left, and Cire Herring, 6, put together peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the Goldsboro Community Soup Kitchen Tuesday morning. The students made more than 100 bag lunches for the needy.
During this time of Thanksgiving, students and staff in Wayne County Public Schools are finding ways to reach out to those in need.
Earlier this week, Meadow Lane Elementary School students prepared around 125 bag lunches for the Community Soup Kitchen as part of the school's annual service project to help feed the hungry.
K-2 multiage classes made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and a fruit snack, given in hand-decorated bags for delivery, to soup kitchen visitors on Thanksgiving. Students also collected canned goods for the soup kitchen's annual food drive.
"Each month our students are involved in a community service project, and this particular food service project is one our students and staff look forward to each year," teacher Melissa Turnage said. "It is our hope that students can learn at a young age how to be responsible citizens in their community."
As students formed an assembly line, with a little help from teachers and parents, bags were filled with turkey and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, chips, cookies and an apple.
The event not only taught children about being generous with others, but provided a better understanding of how many people access the Community Soup Kitchen daily, organizers said.
"The service project covers many objectives including social studies, health, math and reading, art and character education," Mrs. Turnage said.
A representative from the Community Soup Kitchen also spoke to students about the project and the importance of giving back to the community.
Other schools around the county have also participated in several projects.
Carver Elementary, Greenwood Middle and Rosewood Middle are collecting food items for the Salvation Army, while Edgewood Community Developmental School will be preparing food baskets for needy families who have students enrolled at the school.
Brogden Middle, Edge-wood, Fremont STARS Elementary, Greenwood Mid-dle, Norwayne Middle, Rose-wood High and Southern Wayne High are participating in the "Kickin' Out Hunger" food drive for the Community Soup Kitchen. This is the third year Norwayne has participated, collecting 5,500 cans this go-round.
Eastern Wayne Middle's effort for "Kickin' Out Hunger" included decorating food collection boxes to look like turkeys, officials said.
Seventh-grade teams raised $200 to purchase items and a school business partner, AAR of Goldsboro, also donated $100 to assist social workers at the school with their food pantry for families in emergency situations.