Learners Today, Philanthropists Tomorrow: Students at McCoy Elementary Lead Cereal Drive for Local Nonprofit
Student council members at McCoy Elementary have been working since January to collect donations for The Caring Place, a nonprofit organization in Georgetown. The students asked their peers to donate boxes of cereal, a pantry item that the organization often runs out of.
“When we saw how much cereal we had actually collected for The Caring Place, that was my favorite part of this whole thing,” said 5th grader Nathaniel Dekeratry. “It made a huge impact.”
By the end of the drive, student council had collected 375 boxes – that’s 455 pounds – of cereal, enough to keep the pantry full for four days. When the students delivered their donations to the Caring Place, they got to stay for a tour and learn more about the workings of a non-profit organization.
“When we toured the pantry, the cereal shelves were almost empty,” said Cathy Childs, McCoy Interventionist and Student Council Sponsor. “It was really a ‘wow’ moment for the kids because they got to see how their work was making a difference.”
Over the course of the cereal drive, students created posters, advertised around the school, and used graphs to keep track of donations from every grade level.
“We brought the entire school together to give back to our community,” said 5th grader Olivia Dees. “It was hard work, but it was worth it because we got to give it all to others in the end.”
This is the second year that the student council has organized a cereal drive and one of the many fundraising projects that they have worked on.
“It’s important for kids to learn about giving back at an early age and know that there are available resources to do so,” said Childs. “Our students learn that volunteering your time, working together, and a little contribution makes a big impact on the lives of others and connects you to the community you call home.”
5th grader Madison Martinez was so moved by the work of The Caring Place that it inspired her to consider a career in philanthropy.
“I had this moment where I felt like I could really do this for the rest of my life, helping those in need,” said Martinez. “It just made me happy to see what we can accomplish through collaboration and teamwork.”
The giving doesn’t stop there. Every November, McCoy student council hosts a “Turkey Chase” fundraiser to raise money for scholarships and local organizations. This year, students raised enough to donate $1,000 to the Exceptional Georgetown Alliance (EGA) and put $500 toward a student scholarship for McCoy alumni.
Students presented the check to EGA on March 23 with the Georgetown High School baseball team.
