Philanthropy Friday

The Seventh Graders at North Star helping raise canned goods for local shelters

Seventh-grade students in North Star School District are participating in a bi-weekly program on Fridays called “Philanthropy Fridays.” Geography teacher and head varsity basketball coach Jake Klukaszewski started the program last year with the same students when they were in sixth grade, so they could see first-hand that they could make a difference outside of the classroom, even at a young age.

“We have done many cool things for others including making cards for hospital workers and cancer warriors, writing letters of appreciation to the troops, and sending encouraging letters and pictures to those battling sickness in the hospital,” says Klukaszewski. “Currently we are working on a toy drive that will be donated for those in need just in time for Christmas.”

For the second consecutive year, this group of North Star Middle School students helped bring in well over 250 cans of food and other nonperishables for local Catholic Charity shelters in Johnstown, PA. The students organized the cans by class section and also made Thanksgiving cards for those in the shelters to spread kindness, friendship and love of neighbor.

Klukaszewski and the seventh-grade staff say they could not be prouder of these kids’ generosity and their effort to make a difference inside and outside of the classroom.