Giving Thanks: Students Learn The Power Of Helping

RACINE, WI — Jerstad-Agerholm eighth grader Aalicia Goins walked into school counselor Deborah Renna's office with a problem she couldn't solve on her own. She didn't know that it would lead to the entire school coming together to help.

Goins was having a rough time at school, and was struggling tending friendships, and navigating the balance between her home life and pressures at school.

"I had been having trouble with a friend, and just needed a breath of fresh air," she said. "I just needed a break."

Renna told Goins that helping others was a great way to bring positive energy into her life. Renna has been a counselor at Jerstad Agerholm for the last 17 years and has seen a little bit of everything. When Goins came back to her office, she saw something new.

Goins was joined by eighth graders Alexander Garbo, Joey Dolezal, Mara Zynda, Carissa Smith, Angelina Garcia and Daniel Hay. They formed a committee, committed to helping in the community.

They decided to help HALO, a homeless shelter that can house up to 140 men and women. It turned out, the homeless shelter needed new pillows and were looking for donations.

Of the seven eighth-graders, HALO had already impacted the lives of at least two. Goins and Smith said they had family who had been homeless at one time, and HALO was there for them.

"HALO saved my grandfather's life," Smith said. "I am thankful for what they did."

As a group, they researched HALO, how to build a fundraising campaign and how to conduct presentations. Their team went classroom to classroom during the first semester, making 37 presentations on how to help others, and introducing them to their campaign to help HALO.

The presentations had a creative twist — they donned bathrobes, pajamas, and onesies as they stood before their classmates. "We looked like some really interesting people some days," Garbo said. "Especially when you saw us walking down the hallways in onesies."

Renna said each of the volunteers grew throughout the process, which raised about $93 in middle-schooler money. It was enough to buy 33 pillows at Kohl's while taking advantage of a Black Friday sale.

As a group, Renna said, they were able to accomplish something for others in a way they wouldn't have been able to do on their own.

"They're finding out who they are. The most important is learning how they can contribute and how to give," counselor Deborah Renna said. "We give students the opportunity to tap into their personal skills so they know 'this is what I have to offer.'"

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