Harvard Community Unit School District 50 issued the following announcement on April 8.
Students from Jefferson Elementary took a classroom lesson about caring and turned it into a project for helping people. The fourth and fifth-grade students collected donations and created blankets and toiletry care kits for McHenry County PADS.
“Students were reviewing a lesson about demonstrating empathy for others,” said Jefferson teacher Sally Haylock. “We talked about making a fleece knotted blanket to donate, and a student suggested that we create care kits.”
Part of Pioneer Center, PADS offers emergency and transitional housing and support services for individuals experiencing homelessness in McHenry County.
The care kits included travel-size toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotion, toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, and deodorant. Donations were collected from Jefferson School staff, Harvard GMC, Harvard Walmart, and Harvard Walgreens.
With a class goal of making two blankets and 100 care kits, students sorted and assembled each toiletry bundle. The students ended up producing three blankets and 126 care kits.
Pioneer Center staff Elena Margan and Patricia Moeller visited the students’ classroom to collect the donation. Students had a chance to ask questions about PADS and the help Pioneer Center offers. Margan and Moeller also shared a thank you card signed by individuals who will use the care kits.
Reflecting on the project, fourth grader Daniel Trejo said, “I like helping others.”
Original source can be found here.
Source: Harvard Community Unit School District 50
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