Kids Who Care
Spotlight on:
John F. Kennedy High School
Paterson, NJ
Grades 9—12
John F. Kennedy High School students care about:
Eradicating malaria and teaching others about its
prevention and treatment
The current malaria epidemic in Africa served as the focus of an interdisciplinary project in which three schools representing different demographics and grade levels joined hands to increase knowledge about the disease, inform the public and raise funds for mosquito nets to halt its spread. The honors biology students at 
John F. Kennedy High School were eager to join the students of Montgomery Upper Middle School (its PACES lead partner) in its campaign to purchase mosquito nets. Since Montgomery was more affluent, the team decided that publicity and fundraising would be concentrated in that community, but its middle school science classes needed the knowledge about the spread of the disease, its prevention and treatment, and the role of the mosquito in transmission. To add to the situation, Alexander Hamilton Academy, a K—8 school in Paterson, also wanted to join in the project, but its students needed a simpler explanation, more appropriate for its grade levels. Ms. Nellista Bess, the JFK honors biology teacher, wondered if her students were willing to teach middle school science classes at Montgomery UMS and elementary students at Hamilton. Her hesitation was short-lived, for, as soon as she posited the idea, her plucky students leaped at the chance and devised an integrated action plan.
Never a slacker when it comes to taking on a challenge when it involves service, the Kennedy students devised and implemented a many-layered plan to teach these two different groups about malaria. They taught the Montgomery students via ITV, and planned a personal visit to Alexander Hamilton Academy. The honors biology students in cooperative groups researched the topic thoroughly, designed a PowerPoint of salient points, prepared a study guide as well as a list of review questions, constructed a visual display, provided links to other resources and allowed for a question-and-answer session at the conclusion of the session. The approach to Hamilton was simpler with instruction and questions geared to a younger level.
The ITV presentation in which students from an inner-city high school taught suburban seventh graders could not have been achieved without the cooperation and hard work of teachers Margaret Weinberger and Jamie Witsen of Montgomery and Darryl Harris and Nellista Bess of JFK. At the conclusion of the presentation, the group shared what it had gained. In their new role as teachers, the JFK students gained self-esteem and a belief they had the power to change the world. The Montgomery students achieved more than the acquisition of knowledge: they developed a respect for their inner-city teachers, empathy for the plight of the people in Africa, and the recognition that much can be gained by people of different colors and backgrounds joining together for a worthy cause.
Get these lesson plans:
- Students Teaching Students About Malaria Awareness
Core Ethical Values addressed: Citizenship, respect, empathy, responsibility
Curriculum Connections: Health Education; Science; Language Arts - ITV Presentation
Core Ethical Values addressed: Responsibility, teamwork
Curriculum Connections: Health Education; Language Arts; Science; Social Studies; Technology; Consumer, Family & Life Skills