Students from Clearview Elementary are helping provide milk for children in Africa. Led by Profesora Tammy Mate-Peterson’s Spanish immersion third grade class, the school raised $220, enough to provide three children with milk for one year.
The project started out after Mate-Peterson received information about Milk for Africa, which raises money for milk for African students. It got her thinking the project would be a great opportunity to do something she and her class talk about every day – helping those less fortunate here and around the world.
“I got to thinking about the words of The Pledge of Allegiance,” said Mate-Peterson. “I want students to be proud of their country and that we have the capability to help others. I’m also very supportive of the military, and I like to teach the kids the military isn’t just about fighting, it’s also about protecting. Not just our country but all the good people in the world.”
To help them remember, she translated the Pledge into Spanish, added a second part to it, and wrote a chant the students say every day after reciting it. Each week the students rotate saying the Pledge between English and Spanish. They only say the addition to the Pledge when reciting it in Spanish.
“It’s our country’s pledge,” said Mate-Peterson. “I don’t want to change it in English.”
Translated into English, Mate-Peterson’s chant reads, “Respect! Caring! Pride! We like to respect! We like to help! We like to better ourselves! Respect! Caring! Pride!”
Her students were excited about the Milk for Africa project when she shared it with them. A volunteer committee, led by Diego Guzman, was formed that wrote and presented a speech to the student council on why the school should participate in the project. The council agreed, and Jonathan Hegge was named class liaison as the project moved forward.
The students were given a week to raise the money. Their goal was $216, which would provide three kids in Africa milk for one year.
Members of the volunteer committee started the week by explaining the project over the school intercom. They presented the need and the realty that there are some students in Africa that actually eat mud because they have no food.
At the end of the week the money was collected. The class surpassed their goal, raising $220.
“This was the opportunity that fit perfectly with the message I’m trying to get out there,” said Mate-Peterson. “We need to be strong so we can help others. The students achieved something, and their endeavor has inspired me.”
The Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish:
Prometo Lealtad a la Bandera de los Estados Unidos de America, y a la republica que representa, una nacion protegida por Dios, indivisible, con libertad y justicia para todos.
The addition to the class’s Spanish version of the Pledge reads in English, “Also, I promise to do the best that is possible to help and respect the good people of all our world.”
