The youngest students at Kyrene de la Estrella Elementary are learning the importance of kindness and community by participating in a donation drive to benefit the Kyrene Family Resource Center. Students in Estrella’s preschool programs are collecting food, clothing and personal care items throughout the month of November.

Kyrene Preschool Teacher Melissa Belton helped organize the drive.

“Through this project, children discover how small acts of giving can make a big difference for families in need,” Belton said. “It helps our students build empathy, social awareness and a sense of connection to their community.”

Belton teaches in Estrella’s Integrated Preschool classroom, where she teaches students experiencing developmental delays alongside their typically-developing peers. Also participating in the donation drive are Estrella’s self-contained preschool, which serves students with special needs, and Reggio-Emilia Preschool, a signature program focused on child-centered, hands-on learning. Preschool leaders say the project creates a sense of unity and collaboration across all three classrooms.

Superintendent Laura Toenjes praised the donation drive, noting its alignment with the Portrait of a Kyrene Kid, an outline of the skills and traits Kyrene students should develop by the time they complete 8th grade, to be successful in high school, college, career and beyond.

“This is the portrait in action, with Estrella preschoolers demonstrating what it means to be collaborators, problem-solvers and community contributors,” Toenjes said, citing three traits outlined in the portrait. “Projects like this prove even our youngest community members can have a meaningful impact.”

Students are helping to collect and organize things like shampoo, soap, clothes, canned goods and other pantry staples. Organizers have already delivered the first load of donations to the Family Resource Center, and students will continue collecting items until November 24.
 

Learn more about Kyrene preschool programs.

Learn more about the Kyrene Family Resource Center.