By Hywania Thompson
Madison Metropolitan School District

Students from Mendota Elementary School loaded a bus on a cold day in December to

deliver cheer and personal care items to women and families being served at the YWCA in Madison. The delivery was part of Mendota Shares and Cares, a new service project for students to engage with the community. This year is Mendota’s first as a Community School.

During the first three weeks of November, students, staff and community members donated items like diapers, toothpaste and toothbrushes. Mendota’s community partners, Webcrafters and the Willy Street Co-op – North, also set out bins to collect items. Students studied caring and sharing concepts and completed writing exercises to link learning to the project.

In late November representatives from Mendota’s partners visited the school to help assemble the care items into packages. They were treated to songs and a taco bar. “The school wanted to give back to the community that gives so much to them,” said first-grade teacher Kathy Chamberlain.