Hayden school in the business of doing good
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 6 years, 8 months AGO
COURTESY PHOTO Abigail Helmholz and Landynn Beeler, fifth-grade students at Christian Center School, serve a meal at Lake City Church following a months-long program that teaches business practices, practical math and compassion for the community.
Sage Taylor, Abigail Hampsch, Allyson Kline, London Gould and Lucia Barton, 5th grade students at Christian Center School, serve a meal at Lake City Church following a months long program which teaches business practices, practical math and compassion for the community.
For the past 10 years, sixth graders at Christian Center School, along with teacher Teresa Sacksteder, have been in the business of doing good. The soup business that is.
This project begins in October when the students go to the grocery store to comparison shop for ingredients to put together soup and cookie mixes. They then create their product, market and sell it.
“We love this project because they learn so many practical math skills,” said Sacksteder, program coordinator at Christian Center School. “They learn how to calculate the best deals based on ounces and pounds, they learn how to calculate tax and they learn how to use income and expense records.”
The best part of this project is that the profits are used to bless those in need in our community. This year the fifth grade class took on this project. The students bring stories to class of people they know of who could use some soup. These stories are about people who don’t have enough or maybe someone who lost a family member and just needs some extra encouragement. This prompts the students to be aware of those around them and reminds them to think about who could use some help. Because this is a group project, the entire class then votes on who to give the soups to. “Our students always have so much compassion that they have never turned down a request,” shared Mrs. Sacksteder.
For the past eight years, the students have had the opportunity to serve a meal at Lake City Church and pass out soups there. “Our fifth graders were so excited to help, it was very moving to see the joy they brought to the people they served and the fun they had giving to others,” stated 5th Grade Teacher, Terri Bailey.
Over the past 10 years, this project has given away over 12,000 servings of soup. Christian Center School is celebrating its 40th year this year and is located on Prairie in Hayden.