Elementary Students Give to Fight Hunger
One group of elementary students wanted to make a difference this holiday season by hosting a candygram fundraiser. This group was comprised of eight students from the Park Elementary School in Baton Rouge. As part of the school’s Student Leaders group, fourth graders Malik Selvage, Makayla Keelen, Kentavions Williams, and Lyric Holliday, along with fifth graders Genesis Clayton, Patience Thomas, Isaac Harrison, and Fredrick Richardson worked diligently to sell candy canes to their fellow classmates and teachers.
With each candy cane came a slip of paper where students could write who the candy cane was from and give it as a gift to another.
Fourth-grader Lyric Holliday stated, “I feel excited to give money to the Food Bank and help them out.” When asked why the group chose to help the Food Bank, fifth-grader Fredrick Richardson responded “we have seen the Food Bank help our community and we wanted to give them money to help do it again”.
Though the project was a success due to the efforts of these eight students, it was a gift from the entire school community. Principal Stephanie Tate and other faculty staff members not only donated all the candy canes used, but generously participated in the fundraiser as well.
“We could not have done it without our teachers”, said fourth-grader Patience Thomas.
Before officially handing off the funds raised, fourth-grader Lyric Holliday said, “I feel proud to help the Food Bank. When I grow up, I want to be like the Food Bank and help people.”
The funds raised by these students can provide over two hundred meals to those suffering from food insecurity.