Young Advocates and Pizza

Students in the fifth grade at San Miguel School in Providence, Rhode Island are getting an early start as advocates for the hungry.  Their involvement began by investigating pizza.  Using an inquiry technique common at this grade level, students shared what they knew about pizza, asked questions about what they would like to know and began to hunt through books and the internet for answers.  They even visited Pizzeria Uno to gain more information about this popular subject, a trip that included sampling the restaurant’s wares.

However, the school believes that gaining information is not enough; values must be added to learning. Under the direction of their teacher, Ms. Heather Ruple, they talked about the homeless and hungry people who too often go without any food. Working in the kitchen at St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church from whom the school leases their building, they baked pizzas which they then sold to their classmates and school faculty. This project garnered $134 which was donated to Bread for the World.

Then they took another step. After learning about the needs of the hungry, they wrote a letter to U. S. Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island asking him to co-sponsor S.1120, The Hunger-Free Communities Act.

In preparing for letter writing, their teacher asked, “Why should we help the hungry?” Luis said, “Maybe you have a lost brother who is homeless and hungry, someone you don’t even know about.  You would certainly want to see that he gets fed.”  Elias responded, “They are all our brothers and sisters under God.”  After reviewing their persuasive writing skills with Miss Ruple and Miss Hu, the teacher aide, the students wrote their letters, and mailed them to Senator Reed. Coincidentally, the next day Senator Chafee of Rhode Island arrived at the school to speak to the school assembly.  Since he had already co-sponsored S. 1120, they were quick to thank him for his support.

San Miguel is a middle school for minority boys run by the De LaSalle Christian Brothers. Bill and Lois Oehlkers, members of Bread for the World and St. Paul, are volunteering as literacy coaches at San Miguel and assisted with this project.