Kindergarten Class Gives Back to the Community

The comprehensive curriculum taught at Kangaroo Kids Child Care and Learning Center in Branchburg, focuses not only on cognitive, physical, literacy, mathematics and language development but also on social-emotional skills, community service and character development. When students returned to the center in July, after childcare centers statewide were forced to close temporarily in March due to COVID19, to comply with Governor Murphy’s Executive Order, the kindergarten and school aged summer campers immediately got back to work on making a positive impact on their community. “What started as a simple art project, quickly transformed into a lesson in kindness, entrepreneurship and healing”, stated kindergarten teacher, Melissa Reilley-Grecco. She went on to add that “Students began making paper flowers. We had all been affected in some way by COVID19 and the students began discussing that people in the hospital might like to receive the flowers. The idea developed into a business plan to sell the flowers and donate the money to a local hospital. Students and teachers began working together to make the plan a reality.”

Kangaroo Kids is one of only 7% of schools nationwide to be accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and stands behind their philosophy to provide a creative, safe and fun educational experience where children develop a love of learning in a family friendly environment that is positive, professional and caring. Building community relationships and a sense of citizenship is an important part of that philosophy. The teachers and staff immediately began to support the students’ project. The students created a variety of art projects to sell, worked through challenges, developed plans and negotiated strategies in order to have a successful fundraiser. “The children were amazing. The first day they made signs and the staff immediately began supporting them. When sales started to drop they asked me to post about it on social media. Extended families and friends saw the post on our school’s social media and began placing orders. It was heart warming to see these young children working together to help our community”, stated Reilley-Grecco.

As summer camp was coming to an end the children wrapped up the sale. They raised $200 and decided to donate to two organizations. A donation was made Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Emergency Relief Fund in honor of the doctors and nurses who worked tirelessly though the height of COVID19 pandemic. A second donation was made to The Food Bank Network of Somerset County to help those who have been affected during this time. “The kindness and resilience the children showed was inspiring”, said Reilley-Grecco.

For information about Kangaroo Kids Child Care and Learning and Center call 908-231-7800 or visit www.kangarookidschildcare.com

For more information about the RWJ Barnabas Emergency Fund visit:

https://www.rwjbh.org/rwj-university-hospital-somerset/giving/give-now/

For more information about the Food Bank Network of Somerset County visit:

https://www.rwjbh.org/rwj-university-hospital-somerset/giving/give-now/