SANDPOINT — Equipped with a calculator, pen and paper, third graders from Northside Elementary headed into Super 1 Foods on a mission to make a difference. 

Thanks to a $500 mini-grant from local nonprofit Underground Kindness, students planned, budgeted and purchased food for healthy meals as a donation to the Bonner Community Food Bank. Shantelle Gillis, a third-grade teacher at Northside, said she wanted her class to learn life skills while supporting the community. 

“I wanted them to understand all the work that goes into budgeting, meal planning and smart shopping,” Gillis said. “When making the donation, I hoped they would connect the many ways we can serve others in our community.” 

Before Gillis’ class made the trip, she walked the students through those concepts, helping them understand needs versus wants and nutrition concepts. At the store, the students worked in small groups to calculate the cost of items, staying within their allotted budget of $100 per group. 

Gillis said she was impressed with the students' ability to shop, working through the difference between generic and name brands and staying within their means. She said students even talked through the price per ounce, which helped them find deals when purchasing carrots. 

“Two 1-pound bags of carrots were $2.96 total while one 2-pound bag was $3.48,” Gillis said. “They quickly discerned buying two 1-pound bags was better in this situation, which is not usually the case.” 

The students and their 284 pounds of food then made the quick trip to the Bonner Community Food Bank. Once the items were delivered, students were taken on a tour across the food bank, learning about the organization and how it helps people in the community. 

“I learned how to make good choices on items that aren’t way too pricey,” Olympia Gall, a third grader at Northside, said. “I think helping others is important because they might not have a house, water or food, and it’s important to be kind and respect others.” 

Gillis applied for the grant from Underground Kindness, a local nonprofit that supports teachers and empowers students to connect with the community.  

Mini grants from the organization have supported numerous student-led efforts, including seniors from Sandpoint High School reading to children at the Sandpoint Learning Center and helping Farmin-Stidwell students shop for Toys for Tots.  

“This opportunity wasn’t just a nice extra,” Gillis said. “These partnerships are one of the most practical ways to make learning feel real and meaningful for students. It makes learning relevant, expands perspective and builds engagement.”