Each year the school’s students have the opportunity to choose a service project, with this year’s first graders deciding to collect books for local sick youth.
With assistance from their parents, students collected books from home, as well as from generous friends and neighbors.
“They just wanted to bring books to people who really could use them,” P.S. 175 first grade teacher Pat Cambria said.
Health care professionals stated that the donated books would serve as a good distraction for other youth while they receive treatment for their own physical sicknesses.
Thankful for the children’s help in the healing process, Carrie Hamblin, assistant director of pediatric emergency nursing, with the assistance of other nurses, showed students around the ward, making special stops at the examination and microscope rooms. The children ended the tour with a special stop inside an ambulance.
Michael Heller, a spokesperson for Jacobi, stated that the hospital is happy to host any organization seeking information about medical facilities or the medical profession.
“We have community groups here regularly to expose children to the hospital before they have to be here,” he added.
Finishing up the visit, the kids enjoyed playing nurse, which among other health activities included learning how to put on a sling as well as dressing a wound.
While leaving the hospital one student excitedly said to his peers, “That was so cool!”
Cambria said she was proud of her well-behaved first graders, who remained attentive and clearly in awe of the technology and heroic health professionals throughout their visit.
“The students didn’t want to leave,” Cambria said. “They wanted to see more.”
The adults were in the same spirits. As the children left, Hamblin said to her co-workers, “This is the most fun I’ve had all week.”
