‘Kids Care’ about Japan

By DEB WUETHRICH

When students at Patterson Elementary School and their teachers heard of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, they wanted to do something. Kindergarten teacher Amy Chestney and her colleagues on the Character Education School Improvement Committee began looking for a way to help families in that country.

“Early on, they spoke with Nina Howard, at the Lenawee Intermediate School District,” said Patterson Principal Eddie Manuszak. “She connected us with someone at Japan’s Red Cross, and with further research, they found an organization called Shelter Box that provides basic life necessities for 10 people. So we have a goal of raising $1,000 to purchase a Shelter Box,”

A Shelter Box will sustain a group of 10 people with basic necessity items such as a tent, cooking equipment, plates, blankets, and other supplies.

“People who were affected are going to be needing assistance like that for quite some time,” Manuszak said.

Students at Patterson frequently have some sort charitable project going on, and the students seem to enjoy making contributions.

“It’s their response to the need to help other humans,” said Manuszak. “Our kids learn community service early. The idea is, in larger part, to do something important that’s bigger than our own families and it’s something we want to teach students.”

Patterson students have conducted penny campaigns, and have contributed to such causes as aid to Hurricane Katrina survivors and goods to Haiti, among other things.

Manuszak said that members of the community who have learned of the project also have made contributions, which can be placed in a plastic box outside the school office. More information about the Shelter Boxes may be found at www.shelterboxusa.org. Checks may be made payable to Patterson Elementary School, and sent to 401 N. Van Buren Street, Tecumseh, MI 49286, c/o Shelter Box Donation.

Patterson Elementary students also do projects related to having some parents serving in the military.

“These projects just help bring home the point that we’re connected more tightly than ever before,” said Manuszak. “We really are a global community.”