Thursday, March 31, 2016
Photo: Some Thurston Woods third grade students recently had the opportunity to become teachers thanks to a visit from Toddlers and Kids on a Mission.
Some Thurston Woods third grade students had the opportunity to become teachers thanks to a visit from a community group whose children needed help with reading and an art project.
Several families representing Toddlers and Kids on a Mission (TOAM), a Milwaukee-based group which works to instill in children the importance of giving back to the community, recently spent time with 15 third grade Thurston Woods students as part of the group’s Reading Buddies project.
The Thurston Woods students read to the visiting children and showed them how to trace objects and safely use scissors. The children’s artwork was donated to the Clinton Rose Senior Center in Milwaukee.
Cynthia Peppers, a teacher at Thurston Woods, said working with TOAM was a great opportunity for students to practice their leadership skills and engage in a reading and volunteer project.
“The primary focus of the visit was for our students to make new friends and build a connection to our community,” Peppers said.
The patience and courtesy shown by the Thurston Woods students made a lasting impression on visiting TOAM families.
“I saw so many moments of kindness,” said Allie Holliday, a TOAM member. Holliday enjoyed watching and listening to the Thurston Woods students interact with her own children and the other parents.
“I was totally impressed by the patience and kindness each of the Thurston Woods students showed the children, not to mention the respect they showed for us,” Holliday said.