I feel truly blessed to work with students who have a depth of empathy far beyond their years. Perhaps this is because so many of them have been faced with challenges...socially, economically, and emotionally...that they've developed a true sense of community and the notion that we should all help one another. My students are eighth graders who come from extremely diverse backgrounds culturally, socioeconomically, and academically. My classroom truly represents the "face of America," as there are young people from many different cultures; new Americans; students with academic and/or physical challenges; and some who come from wealthy homes to some who have no home. Despite their differences, they are bound by a common value-they all have an intrinsic desire to have "a voice" in making the world a better place and to have the power to genuinely effect change. Every day, I learn from them!
My Project
In my English Language Arts class, we are doing a unit on Culture and Belonging. As I have students from extremely diverse cultural backgrounds, I wanted to celebrate that and to give students a chance to share something about their heritage. We all decided to do a "Cultural Cookbook" in which each student would submit a recipe that represented his/her ethnic or family culture.
Originally, the cookbook was just going to be online and shared with each student.
However, given the fact that so many local families are struggling to put food on the table (combined with the challenges that the pandemic are causing), the students wanted to print the cookbook and sell it to raise money to donate food and grocery cards to families in need of food.
We are looking to raise money towards the cost of printing a 200 page, GBC bound cookbook (or to find a printer who might do the job free.)
More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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