Fostering community service
Fifth graders at Foster are giving back this holiday season, but it’s part of a larger community service element to their final year of elementary school. The fifth grade send-off to middle school is a well-known tradition, but this year, students will also take with them a deeper understanding of community service.
Sara Murphy, Valle Vista Avenue resident and member of the PTA, said this is the first year for the fifth grade community service program, but she hopes it’ll continue with future classes. “The PTA looked at the school calendar to make the service activities compliment what they’re learning in the classroom,” Murphy explained.
In November, the Pittsburgh YWCA shared their mission with students, answered questions and kicked off their first project: ‘thinking of you’ cards that will go to partner families in the YWCA winter drive.
On Friday, students created holiday cards for seniors at Baptist Homes. Teacher Margaret Satersmoen said it encourages students to think about people that may not get cards this holiday season and the importance of caring for those in need. “It’s a nice way for them to do something purposeful,” Satersmoen added.
Students will create more cards for long-term care facilities during their Valentine’s Day party in February. Murphy, who works for the Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Pittsburgh, is working to set up a project in the spring for students to help those impacted by Alzheimer’s.
Other activities planned for the spring include cleaning up the school’s nature trail, painting kindness rocks for their butterfly garden, creating posters for awareness campaigns, writing positive messages for runners in the Pittsburgh Marathon and continuing to read to first graders. All year, the fifth graders read to the younger students, acting as mentors. “They love working with the little ones,” said teacher Lora Lutz. “They help the first graders sound out words and become better readers.”
Satersmoen added, “It helps them become leaders at the school … They’re all so interested in service.”
School-wide community service
The spirit of giving extends beyond fifth grade.
This year was the 3rd annual Foster Family Food Drive benefitting the Great Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Last year’s event raised $32,055 and 1,244 pounds of food. The drive is held in memory of Alex Karaczun, a member of the Foster community who passed away in 2022.
Additionally, each year the PTA organizes a community service week in November. They partnered with several groups including Hearts & Hands Helping Seniors, Foster Love Project, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and Medical Rescue Team South Authority (MRTSA). Families and students brought in various donations each day to help those in need.
Lutz said the students all truly enjoy being part of larger service efforts. “It’s all about community and helping those who need it.”
