THIRD GRADE'S PHILANTHROPY UNIT: LEARNING HOW TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

The 3rd Graders embarked on their annual philanthropy unit this spring. Always enjoyed by the students, the unit teaches the class about the importance of philanthropy and demonstrates how generosity impacts their everyday lives. 

Assistant Head for Advancement, Jamie Inman kicked off the project by posing the question, “What is philanthropy?” and “How can you make a difference?” Hands flew up into the air with the eager students’ answers. The class also heard from senior, Naya Bakaes, about her experiences with philanthropy. Naya founded the club - P.E.E.R.S. (stands for “Prepare, Equip, Educate, Read, Succeed”) - where students volunteer once a week at local youth centers to mentor children one-on-one, help them with homework, and provide them extra encouragement and support. All eyes and ears were focused on Naya as she relayed her experiences. 

Shortly thereafter, the students embarked on perhaps the most highly anticipated activity of the unit: the ripple effect. Gathered into groups, they were equipped with food dye, marbles, and a bowl of water. Students took turns dropping the marbles into the colored water to demonstrate how one act of kindness and generosity can create a ripple effect in the surrounding community. Smiles and laughter abounded as the lesson clearly hit home. 

An integral part of the unit also includes demonstrating the impact of philanthropy in the students’ lives. To do so, they need not look any further than the CCES campus, which contains countless examples of generosity. Guided by members of the Advancement team and Katie Leckenbusch, the Director of the Arts, students received a walking tour of four different locations on campus that have been made possible by the generous donations of individuals within the CCES community. 

First, students had the opportunity to walk on the newly restored paths of the Labyrinth. They learned how Kevin and Catherine Webb, parents of Marguerite ‘29, Bobby ’29, Teddy ’30, and Rosie ’35, heard about the desire to restore the labyrinth and were quick to offer their support in honor of Catherine’s parents, Bob and Susan Brown. Next, students made their way to the Sacred Grove – a spot the 3rd Graders regularly visit during lunch and recess. Awestruck voices resounded as they learned how countless individuals shared their time, skills, and resources to build their elegant and sustainable playground. 

The tour closed out with two hallmark features of the CCES campus – the Chapel of the Good Shepherd and the Hartness Performing Arts Center. Classes gathered around for storytime in the Chapel as they listened to its unique origin story. Dedicated in 2005, the beautiful centerpiece of the campus was primarily created through the generous donations of Dr. Francis Smith. Dr. Smith came to know the school community through CCES parent, Edgar Norris, and after realizing what a special place it is, he decided to leave a very generous gift to the school in honor of his late wife that funded the awe-inspiring Chapel we now get to enjoy. 

The Hartness Performing Arts Center, where the 3rd Graders take center stage during their Salute to South Carolina play, marked the final stop on the tour. Katie drew the students’ attention to the long list of names inscribed along the walls of the Center to emphasize how the gifts of many came together to fund the project. Not only did the Third Graders get some much needed energy out during the 45-minute class period, they also experienced firsthand how philanthropy has afforded them countless opportunities in their everyday lives. 

To wrap up the unit, Director of Service and Experiential Learning, Elizabeth Jarrett and Service Learning Coordinator, Kaytina Mills met with the students to discuss and highlight CCES's impact in the community.  This included an overview of community service projects around the school, which the students were quite familiar with as many had already volunteered at Waterstone Assisted Living Community as part of their service learning curriculum. Ms. Jarrett and Ms. Mills introduced the ‘hygiene and toiletries collection’ project to make hygiene bags for the United Ministries, and together the students packed and assembled the packages. 

Needless to say, The connections made in the third grade during this impactful and meaningful IB unit will stay with these students for a long time. What a fantastic hands-on learning experience designed by our third grade team of teachers with so many other faculty contributors!