This article was first published in Journeys Magazine, Summer 2017.

It’s official! Each one of our 287 second grade students at SAS is a…superhero! More precisely, each of our second grade students is a service superhero!

Since the beginning of the school year, students have been building their awareness and understanding about the concept of service and making a positive impact on our community. Our students’ learning has gone beyond the classroom with various lessons including a walking field trip as well as the culminating annual second grade walk-a-thon. Second graders have learned that they can and do make a difference to our local community in Singapore.

We started our year with several inspirational books such as My Heart Will Not Sit Down and Boxes For Katje. These books highlighted awareness and individual efforts that make a difference. Students learned about different types of service: direct, indirect, research, and advocacy.

In October, students donated toys for Singaporean children in need. The high school service club Food From the Heart helped wrap the toys and transported them to the Food From the Heart annual toy buffet in early November. Our students helped add many smiles to numerous children through this indirect service.

Just as we were learning about our geographical region of Asia, we also zoomed in to help our neighbors to the north, Cambodia. Collaborating with Caring for Cambodia, along with various grade levels across SAS, students contributed personal care items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, and soap. During our annual second grade Asia fest, students wrapped care packages with the supplies for families in Cambodia.

Having participated in a couple of different indirect service ventures, our students were ready for direct service. In March, all 13 classes were armed with a plan to help a specific child, walked to a local market, and purchased Singaporean food staples. Students found their items in the store and problem solved how much they could purchase with their $5.00, provided by the SAS Office of Learning.Each class returned with bags full of food — enough to make a food bag for each family in need. All 26 bags were delivered to families at Seng Kang Primary School.

Now the students were ready to make an even bigger difference! Through various student written and performed public service announcements our students shared our message with the entire grade level. We are service superheroes! We can and will make a difference right here in Singapore!

We walked and ran during our annual walk-a-thon,securing sponsorship money along the way. April 13 was the day that 287 second grade students became superheroes. Our students set goals for how many laps they would complete and most pushed beyond their goals. Our second grade community met students at the track and with each step our students confirmed that with effort, each one of us can make a difference in the lives of others. We were hot, we were sweaty – but we were smiling, knowing that we were helping our local community. In the words of several second graders, “We are stomping out hunger!”

Click here to read more articles from Journeys Magazine, Summer 2017.