Wonderful Wonderfood Wednesdays

Wonderful Wonderfood Wednesdays

by Nasci Lobo, Director of Communications and Marketing

Service Learning at YIS is one of the pillars of our community. Every grade is involved in Service Learning; we have several clubs working with NGOs such as HOPE International Development Agency Japan, and our PTSA has a Service Learning Team that supports school service initiatives as well as conducts their own. The Elementary School recently restarted a service initiative that began a few years ago, but which was temporarily suspended due to the implementation of Continuous Learning. Their Wonderfood Wednesdays involves all ES grades collecting certain fruits and vegetables every Wednesday to provide food for the Chiku Center Lunch Program that is also supported by both the MS and HS Chiku Club. The two Secondary clubs each visit the Center once a month to assist in the Lunch Program in some way, whether that be by preparing food, serving lunches (when health and safety restrictions permit) or by delivering food. As you can see, all school levels support the Center through Service Learning.

A handful of Gr. 5 students and Learning Support Teacher and ES Service Coordinator, Ms. Virginia, organize, sort and pack the fruit collected by the ES grades. ES students are encouraged to bring in cucumber, daikon (white radish), potatoes, onions, apples, oranges, kiwis, carrots, bananas, persimmons, pears, or tomatoes to their class every Wednesday. Students take the items from their class to a collection point where Ms. Virginia and the Gr. 5 students sort them into boxes and keep a running total. Physical and Health Education Team Leader, Mr. Ralph, takes the boxes to the Chiku Center where they will be used in the Center's Friday Lunch Program for their patrons. Since the Wonderfood Wednesdays restarted two weeks ago, ES students have collected 515 pieces of fruit and vegetables for the Center. We encourage families to participate in this fun, practical and worthwhile initiative. Most families send in one or two pieces to the collection. It demonstrates to children how they can easily be a part of the social network that supports their own community, and, indeed, how important it is to care for one's own community. The poster, created by Rina, Seiryu, Erik, Kai and Jesse says it quite clearly - helping the poor and homeless with ❤️. And remember, avoid sending in items in plastic bags to help take care of the environment as well.