The mission of Julia Landon College Preparatory and Leadership Development School is to help create students who have a deep commitment to public service and a true understanding of their leadership skills within the global community.
During their third-quarter studies, the school’s seventh-graders learned about the causes of poverty, and for their quarterly service learning project, they learned what some of the solutions to poverty are by volunteering at the Clara White Mission and Second Harvest Food Bank.
"This service project is an opportunity for our students to see how Jacksonville poverty differs from world poverty," said seventh-grade world geography teacher Bonnie England. "They can see first-hand how the local community is offering solutions to poverty, and what roles they can play in contributing to these efforts."
Every student had the opportunity to volunteer at both the Clara White Mission and Second Harvest, spending a few hours at each location.
The Clara White Mission prepares individuals to re-enter the work force with careers in food preparation and management, and each weekday, volunteers serve more than 400 hot meals to Jacksonville’s homeless population. While at the mission, the Landon students served and distributed food during the center’s daily soup kitchen.
Student Tybee W. said this project helps her and her fellow students "learn to be leaders by taking a lead role in helping the community."
England agreed, saying that her students' participation in activities like this help to instill a sense of service and volunteerism.
At the Second Harvest Food Bank, which collects and distributes food to those in need, students stocked shelves and prepared bags of food. To help the food bank in their efforts, every Landon student also donated a bag of rice.
"Today was a great opportunity for me to learn more about what I can do to take an active role in helping the community," said student Brynn H. "Finding a way to serve the community is important in the fight against poverty."
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