Students Help Feed Three Families

A recycling project organized by students at Grand Terrace Elementary School is helping to make the holidays brighter for three families. Students in Mrs. Serena Latscha’s class organized a campus-wide bottle and can drive and were able to raise more than $128 since the beginning of the school year. Combined with a donation from their teacher, it was enough to buy Thanksgiving groceries for three Grand Terrace Elementary School families in need. Mrs. Latscha’s class planned the recycling efforts, designed posters for their campus, placed boxes in classrooms, and then collected the cans each Friday for recycling. When it came time to shop, the students looked at grocery advertisements, and planned what they should buy, and what they could afford to buy. One thing they discovered: fresh fruit was much cheaper than a bag of cookies. Working with the Stater Bros. Market across the street from their school, students shopped for the groceries on their list on Friday, Nov. 13. While shopping, students kept an eye out for sale prices so that they could get the most for their money. They also had to do some quick calculations on the spot: How much would a 15 pound turkey cost at 57 cents per pound? All of the groceries were then packaged and given to families Friday afternoon. Latscha said the exercise taught her students problem solving, goal setting, and math and budgeting skills. Even more importantly, she said, “It teaches them empathy, caring, a sense of community.”