Would you give a dozen 8th graders $10,000?
Seriously??
That’s exactly what happened last year at Monroe Demonstration Academy!
The Ed Darby Foundation and Tulsa Changemakers teamed up to offer hands-on experience for twelve 8th graders with $10 grand.
Subsequently, the adults were blown away.
Identifying the Needs
The novice philanthropists started by identifying six topics most important to the Monroe community: Basic needs, menstrual products, classroom supplies and décor, youth voice, special events and mental health.
Then they cleaned out a school closet and organized it into a pantry for food, clothing and hygiene products.
They held a drive to fill it, collected 608 items and purchased additional hygiene products.
Wisely, they offered incentives: the winning class got a movie and snacks.
Lessons Learned
Through collaboration, sweat equity and teamwork, the students learned that it takes more than money to meet a need.
Say the adults, “In philanthropy, how much more effective could we be by partnering with the people we are striving to impact?”
Win-win for all! Yea!
Yea! The Monroe Philanthropists program continues this school year.
So what does all this have to do with All Souls?
- The Darbys are long-time supporters of our church.
- Monroe is our adopted school via our Partners in Education program.
- And you, too, can be a PIE volunteer at Monroe or Unity Elementary!
All Souls Partners in Education volunteer opportunity
The Walk to Read Literacy Intervention Program will begin soon at Unity Leadership Academy. Those of you familiar with Reading Buddies will find Walk to Read to be similar. With Walk to Read, instead of a buddy, PIE volunteers will have a small group of students in the classroom to work on targeted reading skills. Teachers provide instructions and materials for these small group sessions.
Unity will hold a volunteer orientation session for Walk to Read on Wednesday, September 14th at the school at 2137 N. Pittsburgh Ave. at 10am. The orientation will include a thorough walk-through of the program, and time for volunteers to complete the Volunteer Profile and Background Questionnaire (required yearly for anyone volunteering in TPS).
For more information on how you can help, contact pie@allsoulschurch.org.
