Class Act

Can you guess the price of toothpaste? How about a 12-pack of soap? A big jug of laundry detergent?

These are some of the brainteasers that sixth graders at A.I. Root Middle School, in Medina, Ohio, considered recently. “It was a lot of fun,” 12-year-old Audrey Brown told TIME for Kids. The activity was inspired by The Price Is Right, a game show. The game was a fun way to learn about a serious subject: hygiene poverty. That’s when people can’t afford the items they need for health and cleanliness. These might include soap, toothpaste, and shampoo.

GIVING BACK Audrey Brown stocks a tiny pantry in Medina, Ohio. It’s full of free items for the community.

Audrey and her classmates wanted to help people in this situation. They started a hygiene product drive at school. Their goal was to collect enough supplies to donate 10 paper grocery bags of products. They ended up donating 17 bags. The bags went to the Medina Personal Care Pantry. “I’m really proud of how much we’ve learned as a class,” Audrey says.

STACK IT UP This haul of hygiene supplies is ready to be donated.

Tough Choices

Katy Medley leads a charity called Spark Medina. The group teamed up with Audrey’s school to run the product drive. Medina County is one of the wealthiest in Ohio, Medley tells TFK. “Yet we have 28% of residents living paycheck-to-paycheck,” she says. “We know that means making sacrifices just to survive.

KIDS AT WORK Students at A.I. Root Middle School package personal care items for donation.

GETTING ORGANIZED Audrey (right) works with other students to sort personal care items.

Teacher Jodie Rubino knows how much Audrey cares about community service. (In third grade, Audrey started Smile Mail. It’s a program in which kids send cheerful cards to senior citizens. It’s still going strong.) Rubino picked Audrey as a project leader. “Audrey was amazing,” Rubino says. “She really wanted to be part of it.”

MAKING A DIFFERENCE Audrey volunteers with Spark Medina, a charitable organization in Ohio.

“Everybody was amazing,” Audrey is quick to point out. Some 114 students worked together. They made the drive a success. They made posters to spread the word. They also decorated bags and filled them with donated products. And they wrote notes to tuck inside.

“I have been in your shoes,” one note said. “I promise things will get better.”

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT Friendly notes written by students at A.I. Root accompany donations of supplies.

From the Heart

Audrey, now in seventh grade, took the class project a step further. She volunteered to hand out the products. She worked at the personal care pantry with her mom.

Typically, the pantry distributes around 180 bags a month. Those donated by Audrey’s class were gone in 15 minutes.

“I really like doing service in my community,” Audrey says. “I also love to see where the bags go, and how they’re helping people.”

Inspired?

Let Audrey’s story inspire you to promote wellness in your community. Click below for ideas about how you can make a positive difference.