Wakeland Elementary school students help feed hungry children in Bradenton as part of volunteering projects

BRADENTON -- Grant Hicks didn't realize just how many of his fellow students in Manatee County go to bed hungry at night, until he launched his third-grade project on volunteerism at Wakeland Elementary School.

"No kid should go to bed hungry," Grant, 9, said.

Students at the district's only international baccalaureate elementary school, recently completed a five-week lesson on "Sharing the Planet." Students had to create a plan that helped the community, act on it and then reflect on it. On Friday, Grant and 8-year-old Andrew Guerrero, a classmate, were able to see their projects to fruition when Kim Bailey from Feeding Empty Little Tummies picked up more than 1,000 items of food. The team had already donated some food last week.

"You guys are my heroes today," Bailey, the director of development at nonprofit Feeding Empty Little Tummies, told the boys. Andrew's older sister, Paris, a 10-year-old fifth-grade student at the school, joined the boys in the front office for the donation.

Grant and Andrew completed their projects separately, both choosing the same organization. Other students walked dogs from shelters, pulled weeds at parks, helped cleaned up the Riverwalk downtown or assisted in feeding the homeless, said Shana Berg, the school's IB coordinator. All of the projects were in line with what the students learned during the sharing the planet lesson.

"It's about how our world interacts with the world of others," she said.

The students learned about what volunteering is and how people volunteer, before being tasked with coming up with their own projects.

The IB program encourages students to think critically, ask questions and develop a global mindset. If students follow the IB program throughout the rest of their academic career they can earn a special diploma. Johnson Middle and Southeast High School also offer IB programs in Manatee County.

F.E.L.T. works with the school district to feed thousands of homeless children on weekends, serving approximately 55,000 meals per year. In Manatee County, an estimated 3,500 people are homeless, the majority of them children, she said. Five years ago, F.E.L.T. served three district schools. Now, it's up to 20, Bailey said.

"If they were hungry at night and had no food, they'd be really sad if they didn't eat enough," Andrew said. "They can't concentrate."

Backpacks stuffed with food are sent home each Friday, in hopes that the students will return to school on Monday ready to learn. Grant and Andrew collected nonperishable items. Grant made his donation of more than 400 items last week, and Andrew helped collect more than 1,000 items for this week.

The two donations will fill about one-third of the backpacks sent home each week, Bailey estimated.

Andrew put out boxes in the school and where his parents work to help collect donations. His older sister, Paris, helped make posters to raise awareness. Grant went around his neighborhood, giving out "fancy Publix bags" for his neighbors to fill with food and return.

Hot chocolate, individual macaroni and cheese, apple sauce, granola bars, fruit snacks and tinfoil packets of tuna were all among the donations made on Friday. The tinfoil packets of tuna -- they're lighter and less bulky than the cans -- are much needed donations, Bailey said.

"That's one of the best forms of proteins," Bailey said.

Meghin Delaney, education reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7081. Follow her on Twitter@MeghinDelaney.

This story was originally published November 13, 2015 at 4:09 PM with the headline "Wakeland Elementary school students help feed hungry children in Bradenton as part of volunteering projects ."