Above: Shannon, at right, and Cindy at the WMMR Campout for Hunger.
Learning by doing is a hands-on approach that gives students a valuable, immersive experience. At HMS, our students have the opportunity to give back while they gain important life skills and interact others in the community.
This year, our students are participating in several service-learning projects that make the world a better place. To benefit animals, they have donated more than 60 towels and 20 handmade toys to the South Jersey Regional Animal Shelter, with more toys to come. For children served by the organization Cradles to Crayons, they are collecting new pajamas and gently used pants for kids ages newborn to 12 years. The environment is also a focus of our service-learning. One class is working on a presentation about sustainable paper products, and new trees were planted in the HMS playground this fall. The WMMR Camp Out for Hunger is yet another project that is a favorite of our students. This year, they collected $820 and a van full of food for those facing food insufficiency. (See photo above)
As worthwhile as these projects are, our students aren’t the only ones doing the learning. Those they meet while working on these projects typically discover that HMS students are caring individuals with resources to share with those in need.