First graders create cards for residents at Providence Mount St. Vincent, fourth graders spend their recess every Friday cleaning the church, while seventh graders prepare monthly lunches for homeless women at Angeline's Day Center. For students at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic School, helping others isn't a matter of when or if, it is a matter of what and how.

What these students do to help depends on their age. Each grade has service learning projects built into the curriculum. These projects were added to the curriculum about four years ago.

"They spring from our Catholic social principles," said Principal Kristin Dixon. "One of the reasons why I think it's such a cool thing is that it's the brain child of the parents. We wanted to make defined service, so that it didn't just happen by chance depending on parents or the teacher's interests."

Dixon said the school selected each service project through connections the school has, location of the projects and the compatibility of the projects with the curriculum for each grade level.

Recalling the teddy bear drive from Kindergarten, second grader Kate Fine said, "It felt pretty good. We had a big table of teddy bears. I think they really liked them. We did this before [hurricane] Katrina, but for the people that lost stuff, I think it would have felt pretty good to hug a teddy bear."

This year Fine and her classmates helped out at their local fire station. They held a battery drive, donating batteries to the local fire station to go toward replacing fire alarms. They also helped weed and clean up the fire station area.

"It's really good to help other people because you're being a nice person," said the youth. The second graders also had the opportunity to tour the station and talk about fire safety.

"For me, the big thing of this project is that they get to see the firemen as just people, not just heroes. It's building community. The kids learn they don't have to be scared if they're hurt and they come to help," second grade teacher Rachel Hoch said.

"It's about a connection with the bigger world in general. It takes you outside of yourself and once you see it you can't turn away."

Tyler Goodwin and the rest of his eighth grade classmates worked at Providence Mount St. Vincent this year. Working with the residents the students played cards, designed jewelry, went for walks, visited and spent time with residents. "Before we went there they told us about how to talk to residents and people in wheelchairs and different things like that," Goodwin said.

In addition to volunteering their time Goodwin said the project "also helped our group (class) to work together. At some times our class was really close, but we had groups of people that hung out together like the popular people. But, after this we were really close."

"The residents just enjoy visiting with them. They'll talk about their families, what they're learning in school, talk to them about driving, about girl friends and tell them to open doors - passing on those lessons they had learned," said recreational therapist Dixie Bartanen. "I think it's a really great learning experience for the kids. One woman on my floor won't go to any other activities, but loves when the kids come."

Goodwin said his experience working at the Mount with the rest of his class ultimately led him to go back for his independent service project. "We got to know the residents very well. We played bingo, bowling and helped them cook. We had a lot of fun doing it."

Executive director at Providence Mount St. Vincent and Our Lady of Guadalupe parent Molly Swain said, "Throughout the years the kids are experiencing the needs of others. In nine years that's a very diverse group of needs. It really puts them outside of themselves at a time when kids can tend to be self-centered. Learning this at a young age I am sure they will remain giving citizens."

"I think it's wonderful. They're all so great. They've learned compassion that's for sure," said Providence Mount St. Vincent resident Gwen Schwenzer. "I get touched by those kids. They're happy and it's so fun to see. What gets me is they enjoy it, they really do."

Lauren Gardner can be reached via wseditor@robinsonnews.com