High School ELA and Service Learning Classes Come Together to Raise Money to Help Those in Need

Over the past few weeks, Ms. Mariona’s High School Service Learning class and Mrs. Chiccino’s High School ELA class have been working on multiple projects to raise money for different organizations. Last semester’s Service Learning class volunteered at the Nashua Soup Kitchen, and they collected items to donate to people in need of clothes and basic necessities. This semester, Service Learning has partnered with Catie's Closet, a non-profit organization that gives children in need access to clothes and basic necessities so that they can thrive in school and life. Catie's Closet helps more than 105,000 students daily.

Currently, both classes are working with End 68 Hours of Hunger, a non-profit organization that aims to help end the hunger that many children face during the weekend hours when they are away from school. The two classes are holding a fundraiser at the Shaw’s in south Nashua, New Hampshire on the 21st of February from 9:00-12:00 PM to help raise money and food items for the organization. The students plan to set up a table outside the store where they will hand out pamphlets and food lists to people entering Shaw's so that they can contribute to this cause.

Additionally, there will be students on hand from Mrs. Chiccino’s High School ELA class selling handmade jewelry and keychains in the hope of raising money for the organization NH Outright, which supports LGBTQ+ youth in New Hampshire.

When asked about the goals of her Service Learning class this year, Ms. Mariona said, “I want the students at the school to be more aware and sensitive to what is going on outside of the school. To be conscious and take action.” She encourages her students to take action and to make the school community more aware of the struggles of other kids their age.

Future plans for the semester include starting an anti-bullying system where the Service Learning class plans to provide the lower school students with guidance on the difference between doing something mean and being a bully. They would like to set up a system in which younger students feel comfortable approaching an older student to talk to them about how they feel, or to report if someone is consistently bothering them. They hope that this will create a safe environment for students who are too shy to confront the person who is bothering them, or for those who might be scared that they will be perceived as “tattling” on their peers.

The Service Learning class hopes to keep working with other organizations, to continue raising money, and to bring awareness to different areas of the community as the school year progresses.