Students had to brainstorm ways to determine the number of boxes they wanted to use. Photo by Michael Gordon
Mound’s fifth-grade class traditionally leads an outreach project, in which they learn something about themselves while giving back to the community. The students are responsible for planning and following through with various tasks, including cost analysis, publicity, and coordination with larger organizations. Last year, students and staff were inspired by a video of an elementary school that created a “domino run” with cereal boxes. They decided to do their own version of a domino run, as it would allow students to have a STEM project, practice their leadership skills, and, most importantly, do something meaningful for their community–a perfect fit for their Science and Global Citizenship magnet.
Students had to brainstorm ways to determine the number of boxes they wanted to use and then decide what to do with all the boxes when the domino run was completed. They immediately thought of donating the boxes to Food Share of Ventura County. They reached out to a dietician to ask about the nutritional value of cereal, and subsequently decided their “dominos” should be more satiating and nutrient dense. They also thought a whole family could eat Mac ‘N’ Cheese. That is how the Mac ‘N’ Cheese domino run began.
This year’s students loved what last year’s students did and wanted to build on it, hoping they could reach even more families in need. Last year’s class raised 4,250 boxes, so the students set a goal of 5,000 this year. They surpassed the goal, ultimately raising over six thousand boxes. Groups of students presented their ideas to the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) and asked for matching donations to help them reach their box goal. They then presented to other classes throughout the school, explaining what they were doing and why. They asked students in those other classes if they could bring in boxes that could be used for their project and then donated to Food Share. Students also created fliers and posters. The focus this year was learning how to publicize. This culminated in their second annual “Stuff the Trailer with Mac ‘N’ Cheese” drive. Students collected 3,521 boxes. PTO matched many of those boxes, helping students get to over 5,000. With even more boxes arriving daily, they reached over 6,000 boxes.
“Throughout this STEM and outreach project, 93 students will have worked together on math concepts such as volume, area, estimation, multiplication strategies, and grouping,” explained Tracie Fickenscher, fifth grade teacher at Mound Elementary. “Leadership, teamwork, and communication skills have all been used and refined. They’ve learned perseverance and grit, how to keep Mac ‘N’ Cheese from falling over, and how to regroup and revise strategies when it does. Most importantly, the kids are excited to take care of others in our community by providing satiating meals that kids enjoy eating.”
