The third grade successfully completed their annual Lower School canned food drive to support the North Dallas Shared Ministries. In third grade, students work on estimating and rounding. To kick off our food drive, students participate in a shopping trip where they put their estimation skills to the test by purchasing three meals and a snack for a family of four on a set budget of $13.78, the estimated cost the USDA suggests a low-income family of four has to spend on food each day. Students are tasked with the goal of not going over budget and working together to provide nutritious meals. All items purchased launch our school-wide canned food drive, which they introduce to all lower school students in Chapel along with Mrs. Phelps, Community Service Learning Director. They continue their work in the classroom with a unit on economics that focuses on needs vs. wants, budgeting living expenses, saving, and donating to organizations like North Dallas Shared Ministries. 

North Dallas Shared Ministries has been an amazing partner in this long-standing ESD tradition. After delivering over 3100 items, third graders got a chance to tour the facility and see firsthand that North Dallas Shared Ministries not only helps to address food insecurity but also provides clothing, uniforms, school supplies, vaccines, health and dental care, and so much more to their neighbors in need. We are grateful to be a part of that work every year.