Members of the fourth grade book club at McConnellsville Elementary School have once again come together to lead their fellow students towards a tremendous and worthy cause.
The nine members of the club helped to raise a total of 465 non-perishable food and toiletry items for the Camden Food Pantry. Prior to starting the drive, students read a book called “Crenshaw” by Katherine Applegate.
The story is about a boy and his family that struggles with food insecurity and homelessness. The students wanted to help others in their community who may face similar challenges.
With the guidance of school librarian Shelley Malenowski, the club hung posters and made announcements urging students and staff to donate to their “Feeding Camden: Project Crenshaw” food drive. The drive ran from April 25th until May 8th.
As part of preparations for the drive, students spent time learning about the difficulties that food insecurity presents in the United States through a series of videos.
They also visited Valarie Mudrie in the Connected Community Schools hub to learn more about how she is able to provide essential items for students and families. On May 9th, the students enthusiastically helped to load the donations into a van sent by the food pantry, where they will be inventoried and distributed to families who need help.
The book and the effort needed to make this happen left a lasting impression on the students.
“On the last day of the Book Club, I asked students if this book changed them at all,” Malenowski said. “One student said ‘I will always appreciate what I have.’.”
