When Wickersham Elementary School’s fourth graders were asked to take on a real-world economics project, they didn’t just learn about resources, trade, or production. They learned how to listen to the needs of their community and act on them.
Under the guidance of fourth-grade teacher Alex Aronson, students were challenged with a big-picture question: How can you better your community using the resources you have access to? What began as a lesson in financial literacy and decision-making became a deeply meaningful, student-led initiative that brought their entire school together.
One group of students, with support from Building Assistant Karin Woods, focused their efforts on food insecurity. After learning about the challenges facing families in their own city, they launched a donation drive to collect cereal and other non-perishable food items for the Crispus Attucks Community Center, a program of the Community Action Partnership of Lancaster County (CAP). Their goal was 400 cereal boxes. But their creativity and ability to rally their peers helped them more than double that goal, collecting over 820 items in just three weeks.
Their project culminated in a schoolwide event where the collected cereal boxes were lined up in a giant domino chain, weaving through hallways and classrooms before toppling in a powerful visual display of what’s possible when people come together.
“In a time where there’s growing uncertainty around food access, it means a lot that young students are showing this kind of initiative,” said Josh Hunter, Director of Crispus Attucks, “the Central PA Food Bank has shared that we may start seeing fewer incoming resources, so receiving food directly from community partners helps fill our shelves, and helps families directly.”
Food Pantry Coordinator Yahya Mcintyre shared that this donation will go directly into the next pantry event. “This donation will make a big difference. We’ll be able to use these items during our next pantry distribution. Seeing these students step up like this is incredibly encouraging. It tells us our future is in good hands.”
And that was just one of the projects born from Mr. Aronson’s classroom. The economics unit connected students to real-world challenges and asked them to think creatively about solutions Other students created a newsletter featuring classroom interviews and important dates, led behavior check-ins with younger students, designed school-wide attendance initiatives, and even developed a proposal to display Wickersham student art in local restaurants. Each project was designed and led by students, with guidance from teachers and staff who helped connect classroom learning with larger community goals.
“It was amazing to see the ownership students took,” said Mr. Aronson. “My role was mostly to facilitate communication and let them lead. They reached out to our instructional coach, support staff, and administrators to make their ideas happen. They weren’t just learning about economic principles, they were living them.”
Principal Abby Rivera emphasized how the work aligned with the School District of Lancaster’s strategic priorities. “This project promoted academic excellence through hands-on, interdisciplinary learning. It built a sense of belonging, encouraging students to take pride in their ideas and collaborate with peers and staff. And it created bridges between the school, families, and the wider community. Students saw firsthand how their voices and actions can make a difference.”
Fourth grader Lauryna Barbie shared her excitement:
“Our goal was 400, and we got over 800. That made me feel really proud and happy. It showed how much people cared.”
Her classmate, Jezeel Ortiz Lopez, added:
“It’s important because some families don’t have enough money to get food. It means a lot that we could help, and that so many people donated.”
Projects like these are what define the learning experience at Wickersham Elementary and across SDoL. When students are given the space to explore big ideas and the support to turn them into action, they grow not only in knowledge, but in compassion and responsibility.
At a time when food insecurity remains a pressing issue for many families, Wickersham’s fourth graders showed us what’s possible when curiosity, compassion, and community come together. They reminded us that leadership doesn’t require age or title, just heart and action.
This is what education looks like in the School District of Lancaster: real-world learning, rooted in care for others, and powered by the belief that our students are already capable of changing the world, one box of cereal at a time. The cereal drive may have ended, but the message will stick with everyone involved: no matter your age, you can use what you have to build something that matters. For more photos, visit us on Facebook.
