First Graders Complete Changemaker Projects

All semester, first graders in Ms. Nicole Schoentag’s class have learned what it means to be a changemaker—someone who sees a problem in the community and has the courage to take action to make a change—and they have created projects that exemplify the values of being a changemaker. Last week, the class visited Heron Head Park, a trip inspired by one student’s project proposal that noted that it is important for the class to visit a local beach and remove trash. At Heron Head Park, students learned the history of the park and then spread out to remove invasive plant species. “It was real work!” exclaims Ms. Schoentag. “They stomped through the tall grasses, reached carefully into the plants, and confidently cleared the area so native plants, like the California poppy, can thrive. By the end of the day, we were all a bit tired but we were also full of the joy of doing real work to help our city.”

 

The class also completed their homeless help project, putting together five back-to-school backpacks full of school supplies to donate to Hamilton Families (San Francisco’s leading provider to homeless families). “Earlier in the year, the students proposed gathering donations of food,” says Ms. Schoentag. “However, Hamilton Families expressed a need that was slightly different than what the students had proposed. This was a teachable moment: sometimes the needs we identify are different from the actual needs of the community.” While this first grade project is complete, adds Ms. Schoentag, “the work of being a changemaker is never finished. I am so looking forward to watching these little changemakers grow into big ones, leading lives filled with kindness, integrity, and service.” MORE PHOTOS