At Primrose School of Lake Mary Heathrow, learning happens inside and outside the classroom and in the hearts and minds of eager, young learners.
The school’s annual Caring and Giving Program, organized at Primrose campuses nationwide, is one great example of students taking skills nurtured in the classroom into their homes and their community.
Students earn monetary donations through chores at home and then bring those donations to the classroom for a group math activity. They count money, develop a budget, and create a shopping list of healthy food items. The classes then take a field trip to a local grocery store to shop for the items on their list. The campaign concludes when students and teachers deliver the food to a local shelter or food bank and distribute it to those in need.
“We chose a project based on the needs of our community,” says Sabrina Boesch, who owns Primrose School of Lake Mary Heathrow with her husband, Chris. “Along with five other Primrose Schools, our school supported Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.
Everyone from infants to our after-school Explorers Program children got involved. We loved seeing our children participate, and everyone enjoyed giving and learning together.”
The students at Primrose School of Lake Mary Heathrow raised more than $400 toward their campaign. A group of kindergartners took a shopping trip to Publix in Colonial TownPark and helped package donation boxes filled with food items. The children then visited the Second Harvest Food Bank to take a tour and donate an impressive 4,430 pounds of food.
“At Primrose, we are committed to making a difference in our local community, and our Caring and Giving Program provides an opportunity for children to experience what it really means to help others and be good citizens,” says Sabrina.
The Caring and Giving Program has been a part of the Primrose Schools Balanced Learning curriculum for more than a decade. The authentic, experiential approach teaches lessons like responsibility, community involvement, and giving without expectation.