Hawthorn Middle School students tackle cancer, poverty in education
Hawthorn Middle School South and Middle School North are the only two middle schools in the state participating in a test program helping students develop critical thinking and leadership skills.
As part of the program created by Free the Children, an international charity and education partner, students research social concerns, such as cancer, poverty and abuse, then develop a plan to help. The curriculum is mainly a high school initiative.
Students in the integrated math and science classes at Hawthorn North are focusing on poverty in education, while Hawthorn South students chose to help children with cancer.
On Thursday, 21 South students in Mike Sementa's class continued to make bracelet kits to benefit Gilda's Club of Chicago. The kits will be given to children going through the cancer treatment process. Around 150 kits have been made so far. A goal of 300 kits has been set. Sementa is overseeing the projects along with social worker April Foley.
Sementa said it's a rare and unique opportunity for the students to be chosen to participate in the high school-level entreprenaural curriculum.
"I am very proud that our students have embraced this opportunity to be an active change in their world and make a difference for peers less fortunate then themselves," Sementa said.
Hawthorn South is also partnering with the not-for-profit organization Handing H.O.P.E. Students are selling healthy lollipops for $1 to help fund a lollipop tree for juvenile cancer patients at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge. The school wants to raise enough money to support the tree for one year. The lollipops provide relief for "chemo-mouth," a common side effect for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
A GoFundMe page has been created to raise support for the project www.gofundme.com/candyforacause.