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MS/US Service Learning Day |
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Students take a card telling them which income level they have been assigned...and what type of meal they will receive for lunch.As part of the Service Learning program at Ridgefield Academy, students in grades 4 - 8 participated in a full day of eye-opening activities on January 17 which centered around the themes of poverty, homelessness and hunger. Under the leadership of teacher Nolie Gephart, each grade became more aware of these important issues through small group discussions, an Oxfam hunger banquet, and an assembly with guest speakers from the National Coalition of Homelessness.
Due to a 90-minute morning delay, off-campus morning activities for Upper School students had to be rescheduled to the spring * All US students rotated through classroom exercises, including lessons in the Just Neighbors series of awareness activities. A discussion on how membership in a community compels people to help the poor followed a video in which three families are presented, all struggling to survive on low wages. Students learned statistics on poverty in the United States and saw how many families struggle to make ends meet even when both parents have jobs.
A What Would You Choose? activity offered a close-up look at the complicated web of choices and consequences that low-income families must face daily. Participants heard about Annie, a woman struggling to climb out of poverty and support herself and two children. The lesson helps children feel empathy for families in her situation and to better understand the emotional effect poverty has on individuals.
The effect poverty has on children was yet another topic of discussion in the Upper School. After watching a video in which children who are living in poverty describe their lives, families, neighborhoods and challenges, participants discussed what children need in order to thrive and discussed policies that would benefit children living in poverty. This experience will tie in to a school trip to Philadelphia in May when eighth graders will spend time with low-income children.
Students in Grades 4 and 5 rotated through activities designed by their Middle School teachers. In one history classroom, the hierarchy of antebellum society in the south was discussed; students had the opportunity to compare what they learned to Connecticut society during the same period and, through role play, better understand slavery and the inequality in societies. RA teachers in another classroom raised awareness of hunger in the world by focusing on countries with the greatest hunger problems. Students viewed a Race Against Hunger movie on the problems in the African country of Chad and talked about the definitions of malnutrition and famine.
Some very practical lessons with RA math teachers allowed students to determine how an average family’s income is allocated each month. The topic of affordable housing in the U.S. was discussed and students ended the session with a greater understanding of how difficult it is for many families to live in a safe, healthy home based on their earnings.
The Oxfam Hunger Banquet takes place in many school settings across the country in an effort to demonstrate the inequalities in our world. Each student is randomly assigned to either the high (15% of the population), middle (35%) or low (50%) income tier. Lunch consists of a delicious nutritious meal, a meal of beans and rice, or a meal of just rice, depending on what income level one ‘lives in.’ As one student remarked, “I left lunch a little hungry and not very satisfied... it really made me think a lot about how most people in the world live every single day of their lives...”
All students ended their Service Learning Day by attending a Faces of Homelessness assembly which included two formerly homeless people present to speak about their experiences and offer ways for people to get involved. As one student wrote afterwards, “I learned that homelessness has no designated look...” Another student commented, “Hearing these people was an eye-opening experience for me. Listening to real life experiences from real people let me know it could happen to most anyone.”
Students were asked to offer comments on the day. Here are a few things they had to say:
“SL Day helped me appreciate what I have, and makes me realize we should help others less fortunate.”
“Don’t just think about yourself, think of others, too.”
“What you give is what you get.”
“I had no idea how so many people live. I am so lucky. We should all try to solve the problem of hunger in our own country.”
* In the spring, Grade 6 will work with Habitat for Humanity in Danbury, Grade 7 will work with the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County in Stamford, and Grade 8 will work with Homes with Hope in Wilton. |
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