BEVERLY — St. Barnabas School has launched a new service-learning curriculum and kicked off the effort with a field trip late last month.
Second-grade students toured the Morgan Park District police station and nearby firehouse on Sept. 30. The students also brought thank-you cards and baked goods to show their appreciation.
The new curriculum for the school at 10121 S. Longwood Drive in Beverly was created in partnership with St. Barnabas' Office of Youth Ministry. It's designed to provide students with opportunities to effect positive change within their school and surrounding community, Principal Elaine Gaffney said.
“Our goal is to have students put their faith into action and to become aware and reflective of the needs of others,” Gaffney said.
The new curriculum is intended for all students from kindergarten-eight grade. The second-grade class was among the first to embrace the new course of study and chose to focus on first responders and military personnel.
The students wrote names of everyday heroes they know on hearts to honor their dedication and hard work. The hearts were then hung throughout the school to create a "Hallway of Heroes."
"It was a meaningful experience to extend our service project to the local community. This allowed the second-grade students to connect our classroom learning about heroes to actually observing what firefighters and police officers do on a daily basis," said Kristin Brett, a second-grade teacher at St. Barnabas.
Second-grader Lucy Lakawitch had a more personal agenda at heart.
"I liked seeing the different parts of the fire station and police department. My dad is a firefighter, so it was cool to see what he does at his job. He is my hero," she said.
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