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发帖数: 19398 | 1 Elementary students solve math problems for a good cause
摘要：
学校实施了这样一个 program ——
小学生完成数学家庭作业，
然后自己再找人（父母、朋友等）为此向慈善机构捐款。
By Kevin Graham
For Heritage Media
http://www.heritage.com/articles/2013/12/19/dexter_leader/news/
DEXTER — For a group of students at Wylie Elementary in Dexter, math is
adding up to more than figures. The solution to this problem equals dollars
and cents for a good cause.
Students at the school, which serves just over 600 third and fourth graders,
raised over $7,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis,
Tenn.
Third grade teacher Jennifer Johnson explained how the program works.
“The children are given math workbooks at their grade level and then they
can collect different donors,” Johnson said. “They can go to family
members or friends and ask for donations or pledges, for either each problem
they complete in the math book or just a flat donation.”
Initially, the project included just two classes, tho?se of Johnson and
fellow third-grade teacher Lisa Suomala, the roughly month-long program has
grown to include the entire school.
Suomala said the program is good on two fronts.
“The kids get the math practice on it and they get to know they’re helping
children receive treatment without them having to pay a penny,” she said.
Suomala said they have been doing this fundraiser for about five years and
have raised a total of $66,899.10.
Johnson said she uses a video shot at a St. Jude volunteer weekend a couple
of years ago to promote the event.
“While I was there, I made a video of the actual hospital inside and
outside the grounds so that I could show our students here in Michigan what
it actually looks like, where our money is going and how amazing this place
is,” she said.
According to the hospital website, St. Jude was the first facility in the
nation established solely for the purpose of treating serious childhood
diseases including cancer and leukemia. Families of St. Jude patients don’t
pay anything for their care. The Math-A-Thon is a national fundraising
effort.
Johnson said the children will often set goals at the start. Those who
collect $35 in donations get a St. Jude Math-A-Thon T-shirt. Johnson said
the hospital offers prizes such as basketballs, headphones and speakers for
those that go above and beyond.
Even so, they try to emphasize to students that it’s not about the reward.
“We just always remind them that the reason we’re doing this is because it
’s the right thing to do,” Johnson said. “We want kids to learn that you
don’t need a reward. The reward is being kind to other people.”
Suomala said it’s ultimately about the patients.
“Mrs. Johnson and I both decided that we wanted to donate out of our
community and get the kids involved and we just both felt really passionate
about the St. Jude children and what they stood for,” she said.
Kevin Graham is a freelance reporter for Heritage Media. He can be reached
via email at k******[email protected]. |
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