Gaudet Students Give Back to MLK Center

Lessons at  don't always involve math, science or textbooks.

Sometimes the lessons involve much more than that.

Carol Lopes, a Grade 6 Social Studies teacher at the middle school, decided to focus on a lesson to teach the students that they can make a difference in their own community.

In a school-wide effort headed by the sixth grade students, a goal was set to collect 1,000 pieces of non-perishable food items for donation to theMartin Luther King Center in Newport. 

The kids worked with great enthusiasm to collect boxes, make posters and urge family members to donate to the cause.

"I couldn't tell them what to do, I just had to ask them if they thought it was a good idea," said Lopes.

In the end, the donation netted well over the 1,000 pieces and totaled 64 bags and 10 boxes of food for the local charity.

One Stop Building Supply even donated money and boxes of food.

The students delivered the boxes and bags of food to the Martin Luther King Center via a school bus. The bus and its driver were donated by  for the quick ride to Newport.

Student Kristie Lee said, "It makes me feel good giving back to people who don't have as much as we do."

It's a "good feeling" answered sixth grader Camille Neu when asked how this exercise in civics affected her.

"I felt like a superstar," stated Kaitlyn Savage on how she felt about her classes' effort to make a difference.  

According to its website, in 2008 the Martin Luther King Center "produced over 76,000 meals for families and individual needs – 13,608 breakfasts, 45,570 food pantry meals, a record level, and an additional 16,890 meals in holiday baskets during November and December."

Information on how to donate to the Martin Luther King Center can be found at itswebsite by clicking here or by calling 401-846-4828.