Duncombe Elementary 5th Graders Participate in "Season of Giving"
During December, known as the “season of giving,” Duncombe Elementary fifth graders organized and held a clothing drive to collect winter coats, hats, gloves, boots, and snow pants for the school.
Jerry Crockett was one of the fifth graders who presented the clothing drive details to other Duncombe students. He encouraged them to give so all students would have the necessary items to play outside at recess.
“If you have outside clothing that doesn’t fit, why keep it?” he asked younger students. “Just give it to help others.”
Crockett said, “It’s important to help others by giving clothes they can wear outside because it will make the kids happy to have more options at recess.”
Mary Martin, a 5th grade teacher at the school, said the learning around giving is part of the social-emotional curriculum in Leader in Me. According to Crockett, the clothing drive is an example of the Leader in Me Habit 4: Think Win Win.
“The giver wins by making other people happy,” he said. “And the receiver wins by getting things they need. Both win because they will feel good.”
The clothing drive was selected for the December project since that is when it typically gets colder outside and students begin to need winter apparel for recess.
“It is important for students to engage in service projects so they can learn to make a positive difference in their community,” Martin said. “Even though they are students, they still have the power to influence someone’s life for the better.”