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Kids Who Care

Abraham Clark High School students care about:

Helping folks in need and senior citizens


Spotlight on:  Abraham Clark High School
Roselle, NJ

Students at Abraham Clark High School are interested in the global issue of poverty, but they chose to tackle it closer to home at first. The House on Mango Street, the story of a twelve-year-old poor immigrant girl living in a poor Latino neighborhood in Chicago, served as a springboard to a thoughtful discussion on poverty and what students could do to alleviate it.

Working at the Food Bank and providing meals for the needy provided them with a vital learning experience. Ann Turalski, teacher and service-learning coordinator, said,

“The effect on my students was amazing. They were able to relate their experiences of working in the Food Bank to an understanding of poverty as well as the issues facing immigrants   Reading The House on Mango Street was much richer because they had first-hand experience of the problems.” 

This sentiment resonated in the commentary made by an Abraham Clark junior:

“We went to one house to deliver a food basket and turkey. The mother came to the door, and then three small kids came a few seconds later. The kids started to shout because they were so happy they were getting a turkey. To see the joy they had made me so happy. To be able to help people, I have learned it is so important. That is something I will never forget.”

The double effect of service-learning on both the giver and recipient echoed in interviews with students and senior citizens after the completion of Clark’s other service-learning project, an Intergenerational Day. Designed to honor an often overlooked segment of the town’s population, its senior citizens, this project involved the cooperation of many disciplines and groups. The senior citizens were delighted by the scope of this interdisciplinary effort: the National Honor Society conducted a tour of the building; the concert band and chorus furnished the music; Spanish students provided entertainment; the family and consumer sciences classes prepared and served the lunch; and health and physical fitness students checked the blood pressure of their guests. If the day was a hit with the senior citizens, it received equally strong approval ratings from the students. Sergeline Louis-Jean expressed the view that service-learning is a

“fun way to learn”: If I could change one thing about my service-learning experience, it would be to have more hours doing it.”

Many students found the experience so meaningful and derived such satisfaction from helping others that they expressed a desire to make service a lifelong habit.

Student Judy Benitez summed up the worth of the experience:

“For every hour, every minute, or every second we help, we change the lives of those who need our help. "

Get lesson plans:
  • Exploring Poverty through Mango Street

    Core Ethical Values addressed: Civic Responsibility, Empathy, Caring, Mutual Respect

    Curriculum Connections:  Language Arts, Social Studies, World Languages, Life Skills

  • Intergeneraltional Day

    Core Ethical Values addressed:
    Respect, Responsibility, Caring, Citizenship

    Curriculum Connections:  Performing Arts, Health Ed., Language Arts, Social Studies, World Languages