Photo courtesy of Carla Ward.
Taylor Warnock, Annie and Eliza Baker, Ella and Arden Price, Louisa Neel, Brooklyn Seligson and Forest Petrey participate in a Little Hands Serving Hearts service project.
At Mountain Brook Elementary, students are encouraged to “lead from the heart.” Nowhere is that exhibited more fully than in MBE’s partnership with Little Hands Serving Hearts. Little Hands Serving Hearts is a nonprofit organization founded and spearheaded by a Mountain Brook Elementary mom, Ashley Segilson. She started it to create service opportunities for elementary-aged children. It is intended to teach children to be kind, empathetic and service-oriented.
MBE has partnered with Little Hands Serving Hearts on several service projects. While service projects have been an integral part of MBE’s leadership efforts for several years, this partnership has enabled parents and teachers to serve with the students for an overall hands-on experience. Principal Ashley McCombs expressed that she is so grateful “that this organization takes service ideas from our students and teachers, and then makes arrangements to bring them to life. These experiences have developed a depth of learning like no other, a depth that will enable them to gain authentic perspective about how servant leadership results in mutual benefit for all involved.”
In mid-November, several MBE children helped Little Hands Serving Hearts deliver 3,200 pounds of food to Hemphill Elementary and Hayes K-8 School. Before delivery, the food was packed by MBE children in 2,500 bags to deliver to children who will miss a free school lunch and breakfast over the holiday break. Second-grader Ella Price said that helping deliver the food “was cool because we got to see other kids, teachers and principals at other schools that were really different from ours, and I liked giving to those that might not have as much.” Her sister, Arden, in kindergarten, said delivering the food made her happy. On the weekend before Thanksgiving, Little Hands Helping Hearts also organized a trip with MBE children to North Hill Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Tarrant to play bingo with residents.
Segilson says that “Little Hands Serving Hearts is grateful for the opportunity to work with Mountain Brook Elementary and their students to provide outreach opportunities to enrich the lives of everyone involved. Through different service projects, students are able to experience empathy, compassion and the importance of community.”
This year alone, Little Hands Serving Hearts has many additional service opportunities. For example, the MBE third grade class will undertake a winter clothing drive to collect coats and warm clothes for the homeless. The third graders will also make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to take and distribute with the clothes. Many Mountain Brook Elementary children are provided the chance to help Little Hands Serving Hearts thanks to the generosity of the school administration. But elementary children at any school are welcome to become involved.
For more information about Little Hands Serving Hearts and to learn about upcoming opportunities, visit littlehandsservinghearts.org or visit them on Facebook or Instagram.
Sumbitted by Carla Ward.
