Medina first-graders donate to food pantry at St. Peter’s

Students saved nearly $180 throughout school year for pantry

Photos by Ginny Kropf: First graders in Allison Woodburn’s class at Oak Orchard Primary School pose on the steps of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, where they visited the food pantry. At rear is Robin Dubai, left, food pantry coordinator, and class teacher Allison Woodburn.

MEDINA – Teaching her class about kindness and giving has become an annual message for Allison Woodburn and her first-grade students at Oak Orchard Primary School.

She calls the class “Camp Woodburn,” because they are a camp-themed classroom, and teaches all about kindness through several projects and activities, she said. One of those projects is saving their small change every day to support the Food Pantry at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.

Then, just before school ends for the year, they walk to St. Peter’s with their backpacks full of groceries they have bought to donate to the food pantry.

Every day, they say the class quote together – “In a world where you can be anything, choose to be kind.” At Christmas, the class read the book “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein and learned about how the tree always had a full heart when it gave to others. So the students decided to have their very own giving tree and donate their favorite cereals to put under their Christmas tree instead of exchanging gifts with each other.

Allison Woodburn and her first-grade students pose around the cart filled with groceries they purchased and brought to St. Peter’s Food Pantry.

In the spring during math the students learn all about coins and money, which they and their families have donated during the year. They sort the coins, roll them up and this spring counted $179.55. The students wrote a shopping list of needs and wants for the food pantry. Woodburn shopped for all the food on their list, and was still able to donate a $40 gift card to give the pantry, in addition to all the food purchased with the monetary donations.

Woodburn has been doing this with her class for six years and always feels like she is teaching them the most important lesson in life, which is to always show kindness to others without expecting anything in return.

The Food Pantry has been managed by Robin Dubai for 32 years, who first started in 1994 when her son went to nursery school.

“People have been very generous to the food pantry,” Dubai said. “I think it’s wonderful how Mrs. Woodburn is teaching kindness. I love working with her and her class.”

The food pantry has seen a slight increase in demand this year, now providing food monthly to 72 families, Dubai said.

Although the students are taught to be kind, while not expecting anything in return, Dubai wanted to show her appreciation and bought doughnuts for the class.

Robin Dubai, left, explains to Allison Woodburn’s first-grade class how a food pantry operates.