11/22/95

Janet McCoy (mccoyjl@mail.auburn.edu)

AU CHILD STUDY CENTER STUDENTS COLLECT PENNIES FOR FOOD BANK

AUBURN -- Twenty kindergarten students at Auburn University's Child Study Center will donate pennies they've been collecting to the Lee County Food Bank on Nov. 28 to emphasize the importance of helping others.

Linda Silvern, an instructor in the Department of Family and Child Development and head teacher at the Child Study Center, says the children will take more than 17 pounds of pennies to Auburn National Bank to have them counted and then present a check and tour the food bank.

They expect to arrive at the food bank at 9:45 a.m. on Nov. 28.

Silvern said the pennies have been used in all aspects of the youngster's curriculum, from counting, pouring, measuring, art and journal writing.

"We've measured children's feet, weighed crayons, made banks to hold the money and will ask the children to write about their trip to the bank and the food bank when they return," she said."We've also talked in class about the importance of helping others less fortunate and how to share and ways we can do both."

Silvern says she hopes the idea will catch on with other area schools.

"Wouldn't it be great if all the schools in the area started this," she said. "So many people would be helped."

nov95:AU-pennies

CONTACT: Silvern, 334/887-7534; and 334/844-4698.