Grade 6: Striving to Make a Difference - Poverty, Food Insecurity, and Homelessness
As part of their commitment to incorporating service learning into their curriculum, the Grade 6 team recently led several trips to the Food Bank of the Rockies in December. Excited to help the leading hunger-relief organization in the Rocky Mountains, the entire Grade 6 class built 1,816 boxes and lifted and distributed 34,717 pounds of food, ultimately preparing 28,931 meals for the greater community. After each volunteer session, the Food Bank of the Rockies calculated each of the groups' contributions, which led to a friendly competition among the entire Grade 6 class!
While this particular trip to volunteer at the food bank may be new, the focus on poverty, food insecurity, and homelessness in Grade 6 is not. Graland teachers such as Jolene Collier and Aaron Murray have been incorporating lessons into their core math and science classes for years, where students begin to gain an understanding of food waste and what it truly costs to feed an entire family.
This year, several Grade 6 students became so passionate about what they were learning in class that they formed a student group known as "Helping Hands" to tackle some of these issues head-on. In October, the student club organized a candy sale on campus to raise money for Showers For All, a non-profit that provides mobile showers and laundry services for those experiencing homelessness in Denver. Together, the students submitted paperwork to host the candy sale, made flyers, organized a field trip to buy the candy, calculated sale prices, and put together boxes and bags of treats to sell during the fundraiser.
As part of their continued efforts, the Grade 6 students in Helping Hands are also planning a food drive in collaboration with the GPA this January! The students are looking forward to enlisting the Graland community's help in 2022. Mrs. Collier also shared that the entire Grade 6 class enjoyed the service learning experience so much that they planned four more group trips to the Food Bank of the Rockies in the new year. Keep striving to make a difference in your community, Eagles!
Graland Country Day School
Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1927, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.
