Students at Eagle Hill Middle School were given the opportunity to vote on which local organization they wanted to support as part of this year’s service-learning initiative. After learning about four worthy causes, students selected the Mary Nelson Youth Center.
Mary Nelson visited Eagle Hill on Monday, Dec. 1 and spoke candidly about her experiences with poverty and violence, sharing how those challenges shaped her mission to support children and families in Syracuse. Students asked thoughtful questions during her visit and expressed how inspired they were by her compassion, resilience, and commitment to helping others.
As part of Eagle Hill’s service-learning approach, classroom curriculum is intentionally connected to real-world projects.
“By focusing on the needs of the community, students work to address and fix global issues such as poverty. This type of year-long experience builds critical thinking, empathy and civic engagement,” shared Academic Enrichment Program Teacher Bridget Wojnovich.
To kickstart the partnership, Eagle Hill has launched a non-perishable food drive to support children living in Syracuse. Mary Nelson emphasized the importance of collecting items that kids can prepare on their own, as many of the children she serves often have to make meals without adult assistance.