Six elementary schools participated in the King Arthur Flour Life Skills Bread Baking program in February - Linkhorn Park, Trantwood, Christopher Farms, Alanton, Princess Anne, and Birdneck. In assemblies at the individual schools, Life Skills Instructor Paula Gray received assistance from student volunteers to show students how to make baked goods such as bread, pizza crust, cinnamon rolls, and bread sticks from scratch. Gray says that she loves teaching children the skill of bread baking: “It’s a hands-on way for kids to learn math, science, and cultural traditions all while having fun.” Students used their newfound skill – along with ingredients donated by King Arthur Flour – to bake several loaves of bread with their families. The students kept one homemade loaf for their families and brought the second loaf back to school for donation to a community organization of the school’s choice. Gray notes that the community service lesson is equally important. “They’re learning the value and the joy of giving something back to the community,” she says. “Food pantries and organizatons are delighted to have 1,300 loaves of freshly baked homemade bread to offer the people they serve.”

More support for Haiti relief efforts:

Bayside High School’s staff collected $657 to support Haiti relief.

Cox High School’s SCA, Key Club, and National Honor Society are collecting money during home athletic events and school activities to support the Patti Lewis Memorial High School in Cap Haitian, Haiti. Faculty members are participating in “Denim Days,” which require a donation to be able to wear jeans on Fridays.

First Colonial High School held a faculty-student basketball game to raise funds. The “Hoops for Haiti” event was sponsored by the sophomore class with the assistance of numerous other clubs and organizations.

Glenwood Elementary School's SCA organized a “Coins for Haiti” fundraiser to benefit the American Red Cross Haiti Relief Fund. Students and staff donated coins during lunch for one week, raising $718.90.

Green Run High School students are donating shoes and jeans to the clothing retailer Aeropostale to send to Haiti.

Kellam High School’s French Club collected $160 to donate to the locally-based "Physicians for Peace" relief program for Haiti. Members of the Model UN and yearbook staff also held fundraisers, and the chorus department will hold a Haiti Benefit Concert on April 15.

Kempsville High School students and staff raised $2,000 for the American Red Cross Haiti Relief Fund. The school’s head custodian, Albert Valery, is from Haiti and has family in Haiti.

Ocean Lakes High School’s yearbook staff donated the proceeds from its Talent Show to the American Red Cross. Students in Lori Molodow’s AP English 12 classes adopted Haiti relief as their “Change the World” project and are organizing activities to support relief efforts. In addition, the girls’ and boys’ soccer teams, Operation Smile club, SCA, fashion marketing department are each collecting materials or conducting fundraisers to benefit Haiti.

Princess Anne High School students and staff donated $2060.47 to the American Red Cross Haiti relief fund.

Salem High School's faculty and staff donated over $1,100.00 to the American Red Cross Haiti Relief Fund. Sandy Baker and her English students organized schoolwide fundraisers that raised over $1,300.00, and the Family and Consumer Science students also collected jeans to send to Haiti.

Tallwood High School’s FCCLA, GSWLA, and staff members raised a total of $1,049.06 for Haiti relief.

The Virginia Beach Technical and Career Education Center chapter of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) collected over $400 to support disaster relief efforts in Haiti.