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WOODBRIDGE TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT

JOHN F. KENNEDY MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL
200 WASHINGTON AVENUE
ISELIN, NJ 08830
732-602-865

LEARN AND SERVE AMERICA: SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAM (YEAR 1)

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Members of the Student Council, the French Honor Society and the Spanish Honor Society implemented a month long Service Learning Project that culminated with distribution of soup to a local Food Pantry.

TIMELINE:
The month of January, which is designated as National Soup Month, was the time frame for this project. However, since John F. Kennedy Memorial High School operates on a two-semester schedule, we decided to extend the soup drive two more weeks so that we could include students from the second semester.

PROJECT SCHEDULING:
Planning took place during the designated meetings for the Student Council, the French Honor Society and the Spanish Honor Society and during allotted class times as appropriate. Advisors to these groups are Mr. Steve Vagrin, Mrs. Carole Saccocci and Mrs. Arlene Botti.

EQUIPMENT:

French/Spanish Classes: Containers in the shape of soup cans were available in classrooms to collect donations.
 
Art: Students assist with construction of bulletin board and posters.
 
All Departments: Supply boxes to collect soup and pack up for delivery to Food Pantry.

ACADEMIC FOCUS:

French Classes: Student, Joseph Misura, constructed a bar graph, which was updated on a diurnal basis.
 
World Language Classes: Students learned vocabulary for soup, cans, ingredients, discussed soup labels in target language.
 
Student Council: Designed, printed and displayed posters throughout the Building. Responsible for Sign Board in the Cafeteria which also displayed the message about the Soup Drive.
 
ESL: ESL students collaborated with the Bulletin Board. Committee to specify word "soup" in many different languages.
 
Mustang News Network: Daily announcements by student reporters to update the progress of the Food Drive

PERSONAL GROWTH OUTCOME:
Students develop a sense of pride in helping members of the community meet their basic nutrition needs. The students were able to see a need for reaching out to the community. Some students never realized how many people in our own Woodbridge Township were hungry.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT:
The "We Feed" committee from Woodbridge Township came to our school to pick up 708 cans of soup that was collected. Many student volunteers helped to count the cans, pack the cases and load the cases of soup into the van.

RECOGNITION:
A photograph in the school newspaper, THE TORCH, and a letter from the Mayor of Woodbridge Township recognized the efforts of our school project, KENNEDY SERVES.

PARENT AND VOLUNTEER INVOLVEMENT:
Parents were made aware of our school Soup Drive by means of a letter sent home along with information about student scheduling. Also, the parents regularly receive the John F. Kennedy Memorial High School newsletter, which included information about the Soup Drive. The school newspaper, THE TORCH, ran various articles outlining the January Soup Drive.

Cafeteria workers as well as janitors participated in the school’s soup drive. They believe they are also part of the school community and want to show the students support in their programs.