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Girls’ Boarding School to Hold Day-Long World Hunger Event

Manchester Center, Vt. (PRWEB) November 28, 2009 -- On Dec. 2, 2009, students, teachers and faculty at Bromley Brook boarding school for girls will participate in a day-long event designed by students to raise awareness about world hunger.

“People are always making jokes about starvation, so we thought we’d teach students what it actually means to be hungry and who is suffering,” said Sarah J., an 18-year-old senior at the boarding school who planned and organized the day along with one other student.

More than 1 billion people in countries around the world are afflicted by hunger and malnutrition, often due to economic conditions and conflict. Sarah said she hopes the day’s events will enlighten girls about how they can take local action on this global issue.

“It’s a day to raise awareness,” Sarah said. “It’ll get people thinking about this issue, which I think is the first step to taking action.”

Staff at the girls’ boarding school believe the day’s events can do more than just raise awareness about world hunger.

“It gives girls a sense of the injustice of world hunger,” said Mary Jo DeGrandi, MS, coordinator of Special Therapeutic Programs at Bromley Brook. “It also allows them to focus on issues outside of themselves and gain a broader perspective.”

An Interactive Education

Though no regularly scheduled classes will be held at Bromley Brook on World Hunger Day, teachers at the boarding school created lesson plans that are tailored to the topic of starvation.

For example, one of the school’s math teachers will provide students with statistics about world starvation, a science teacher will discuss the chemistry of starvation and an earth sciences teacher will talk about the issue’s impact on agriculture.

“All teachers will teach something that corresponds to Hunger Day,” Sarah said.

Other activities scheduled for the all-girls boarding school’s World Hunger Day include a topical movie screening followed by a discussion, a canned food drive that will collect food to be donated to shelters and food banks within the state, and an opportunity to create bowls of out clay that can be painted and sold to raise money for charity.

The day will culminate in an Oxfam America Hunger Banquet, which is an interactive dinner that attempts to showcase disparities in food access based on income. Girls will be randomly designated as high-, middle- or low-income, and will receive a corresponding meal.

Based on statistics provided by Oxfam America, that means 50 percent of the girls will find out what it means to be low-income and eat a small meal of rice and water on the cafeteria floor. About 35 percent of the girls will be middle-income and eat rice and beans. The 15 percent of girls considered high-income will enjoy an elaborate meal served on a table.

“It’s a way to support increased empathy for others, so that our students can be thoughtful about giving back to the community,” said Sharon Hartunian, LICSW, LADC 1, CADAC, Bromley Brook’s clinical director. “It’s really important to their growth.”

About Bromley Brook

Bromley Brook is a boarding school for girls ages 13 to 17. The school aims to meet the specialized learning requirements and unique social needs of girls while providing professional mentoring, leadership training and strong family involvement. For more information about Bromley Brook, call (866) 537-2702 or visit www.bromleybrook.com.

Bromley Brook is a proud member of CRC Health Group, the most comprehensive network of specialized behavioral care services in the nation. CRC offers the largest array of personalized treatment options, allowing individuals, families and professionals to choose the most appropriate treatment setting for their behavioral, addiction, weight management and therapeutic education needs. CRC is committed to making its services widely and easily available, while maintaining a passion for delivering advanced treatment. For over two decades, CRC programs have helped individuals and families reclaim and enrich their lives. For more about CRC Health, visit www.crchealth.com.

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