“It is the spirit of the child that can determine the course of human progress and lead it perhaps even to a higher form of civilization.” – Maria Montessori
An Elementary student at Woodland Montessori School recently spearheaded an effort to raise money for childhood cancer research in memory of her sister, who lost her battle to Osteosarcoma in 2011. A few of the student’s friends jumped on board with a bake sale idea “because we knew it meant so much to her and we wanted to give her our support”, and it wasn’t long before plenty of parents and other students pitched in by donating baked goods. The sale was a tremendous success- the majority of the school community attended and the students raised $500.
Word traveled fast within the greater community about the cause and the students’ success, and they were invited to a special appearance on Good Day Sacramento promoting “Whip Out Cancer” in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. See the clip here: http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/video/10624102-whip-out-cancer/
The students were pleasantly surprised by the amount of people that rallied behind their project, and couldn’t believe how much money they were able to raise. They knew organizing and hosting a bake sale would be a huge undertaking, but felt they were up for the challenge.
The students’ teacher, Tracy Bandy had this to say, “I know these children well; I have been their teacher for the past three years. Yet, I was overwhelmed by the level of empathy in their statements throughout the project and at how clearly they articulated their ideas. Personal responsibility, a strong sense of community, and gratitude for the contributions of all people are components of a Montessori classroom. Mia, Alana, Ella, Ethan, and Emma all believed that, although they are 7 and 8 years old, they could be of service and make a contribution that would benefit others. And, they were correct!”
