Some pre school children in Montclair New Jersey have found a really nice way to support a classmate who lost his home during Hurricane Katrina. They wrote a book about him, and are selling it to benefit his family.
Last year, a little boy named Nigel came to New Jersey as part of the relocation from the disaster that destroyed his home in New Orleans. He was enrolled in the Montclair Community Pre K class, and made friends very fast. Later, he returned to New Orleans with his family, where he found that their home had been completely flooded away. His cousin has remained in the Montclair area, and showed the class pictures of the damage. He and his mother are staying with relatives. The class decided to help.
Scholastic donated the printing, and the students drew pictures of Nigel, wrote about the experiences they had with him, and about how much they miss him. The book ends with the question “If someone you love went far away from you, would you stop loving them?”
The children decided to sell the book for $10, and donate the proceeds to Nigel’s family. The book is being sold through the school.
This is a wonderful project for a pre k – a response to someone they know personally in need, and a response to something far away. The experience of drawing, writing, and dictating the text, as well as the teamwork, is a very valuable experience in early literacy development, as well as compassion.
For more information on the school or the book, visit http://www.montclairprek.org/letter.cfm