Schools
Virginia Run Sixth Graders Collect Food for the Homeless
Two classes chose to help a local food pantry for their annual community service project.
Who: Mrs. Anderson and Mrs. Chodoronek’s Sixth Grade Classes
School: Virginia Run Elementary School
Accomplishment: A total of 48 students in these two classes are working together to assemble 30 Emergency Food Bags for the Centreville food pantry.
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Key to Awesomeness: Last year, sixth grade students at began the tradition of completing a community service project before their graduation in June. This year’s upperclassmen are following in their footsteps by having each class complete its own project.
Jennie Bush, the projects’ Parent Coordinator, said that Virginia Run’s five sixth grade classes are expected to complete a minimum combined total of 130 volunteer hours this spring.
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“The challenge given to our graduating class of 2011 was: ‘Make a Difference Where You Are!’ and they’ve responded very enthusiastically,” Bush said in an email.
Mrs. Anderson and Mrs. Chodoronek’s classes have chosen to assist WFCM’s Centreville food pantry, which opened in November 2010. The Centreville pantry prepares Emergency Food Bags for patrons who don’t have transportation to WFCM’s main pantry in Chantilly and supports about 30 families each month.
Mrs. Chodoronek’s class is running a school-wide food drive this week, April 25-29, to collect needed items for the pantry. On Friday, Mrs. Anderson’s class will assemble the food bags and deliver them to WFCM.
Bush added, “Not only are the students learning what it means to do community service, but they are learning how to work with each other to get a job done and meet goals. They are also learning how wonderful it feels to help someone else.”
Other sixth grade community service projects at Virginia Run ES this year include:
- Mr. DelGrosso’s class will provide snacks for and play games with senior citizens at Gainesville Health and Rehabilitation on May 23.
- Ms. Pugarelli’s class will make 80 sandwiches for , a day shelter in Fairfax serving the homeless and needy, in May.
- Ms. Smith’s class will collect a variety of items including toys and games, toiletries, and domestic cleaning supplies for The Ronald McDonald House in Falls Church next month.
