News you can use

Highland Park teaching the spirit of giving

Kindergartners and first-graders gather food for needy

It has become tradition for Highland Park Early Primary School students to corral their efforts into gathering food for the needy just in time for Christmas.

All the boxes that have been planted for weeks in the 16 school classrooms will be collected in the front office today before being sent to the Havre Food Bank and Feed My Sheep Soup Kitchen.

School librarian and food drive coordinator Kathryn Holt said the set goal was 250 pounds of food, a goal the students will definitely exceed, she added.

The annual Highland Park food drive is a two-part process that starts with educators teaching the kindergartners and first graders about the importance of giving. The second aspect includes a light nudging of the youngsters to gather nonperishable food items for the less fortunate this holiday season.

"Each class always collects food at Christmas time, trying to teach them some empathy and caring for other people and that it isn't just about giving," Holt said. "It helps them understand that we share with other people."

Holt's duties have been two-fold. She was in charge of wrapping the boxes and making sure every class got one. The boxes were then decorated by the students. As librarian, she took advantage of the kids' ears during library class to teach them about giving and empathy.

"All of the books we read at this time of year emphasize that Christmas is about more than receiving gifts," she said.

Holt said she has been reading to the kids "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" by Dr. Seuss, "Olivia Helps with Christmas" by Ian Falconer, "Home for Christmas" by Jan Brett and "Coyote Christmas: A Lakota Story" by S.D. Nelson.

"It's very important for them to understand at this age that not everybody has what they necessarily need for Christmas and about the sharing," Holt said. "They're really young so they're just beginning to understand that Christmas is about more than getting," she said.

All the teachers have pitched in and the kids have responded.

The Highland Park staff, Holt said, works as a team to help young children learn to be both empathetic and responsible, focusing on the Golden Rule of treating other with kindness and respect.

 

Reader Comments(0)