GREATEST GOOD MCDONOGH

KIDS BECOME PHILANTHROPISTS

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF CHILDREN TO CHANGE THE WORLD

By Noreen Lidston

McDonogh’s fourth-grade Class of 2030 recently underscored the truth of this statement through their work with The Giving Square, a nonprofit organization that recognizes children as leaders for a new model of philanthropy. In this model, children take the forefront. They are “active, empathetic, and impactful contributors to society” who understand the root causes of social issues and learn about the best ways to address those issues.

The fourth grade’s involvement with The Giving Square is part of the larger, schoolwide Greatest Good McDonogh program designed to inspire students to find their purpose, grow their empathy, and realize their power and potential to do the greatest good in the world. Greatest Good McDonogh teaches students from prekindergarten through twelfth grade best practices in service-learning, philanthropy, community engagement, and social innovation through integrated coursework and experiential learning.

Alumnus and benefactor David Rothschild ’82, who spearheaded and endowed the program, says, “Greatest Good McDonogh is about people. And understanding and caring for other people is as important as anything else you will learn at McDonogh, in college, or anywhere else.”

Amy Neugebauer, founder and program director at The Giving Square, believes that fourth graders are ideally suited to such philanthropic work. She says, “They are empathetic and optimistic, they can think fluidly, and they are very good at identifying when things aren’t fair. They understand that we need to make life more equitable for others.”

Kids Helping Kids The Giving Square sponsors an eight-session program called the Kids for Kids Fund that offers young students a hands-on opportunity to develop their philanthropic identity. The focus is on “building an empathetic connection to the needs of others, exploring compassionate solutions to issues facing our communities, and putting our philanthropic capacities into practice.”

Addressing an audience of parents, nonprofit leaders from the community, and their peers at the inaugural Greatest Good McDonogh Showcase and Reception in May, a group of fourth graders described their empowering experience this way: “During Kids for Kids week, we learned that we can all be philanthropists. There are many ways to help others. Sometimes we just focus on what we can give—like money or toys. But, we learned that we can also use our brains to research or solve issues, we can use our eyes to see what must be done, and we can use our mouths to speak up when we see things that are unfair or unjust. Also, we can use our ears to listen to others’ needs; our hearts to show we care and can empathize; and our hands to turn our inspirations into action.”

The Kids for Kids Fund sessions included exploring the rights of all children, examining perspectives on different social issues, and learning about local organizations working

KIDS BECOME PHILANTHROPISTS

As part of the Kids for Kids Fund, the Giving Square offered each fourth-grade homeroom $1,000 to donate to a charity of their choice. The students made it clear that the process of choosing just one organization was very difficult. After much discussion and debate, their ultimate choices—Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake, The Arc of Baltimore, The Ronald McDonald House Maryland, and the Martin Pollak Project—were announced at the Showcase.

“There is a tremendous joy that comes from serving others and lifting our voices for the things we believe in,” said Director of Greatest Good McDonogh Bridget Collins ’90 at the check presentation.

Cousins Nathan Finklestein ’30 and Dillon Finklestein ’30 enjoy the Greatest Good McDonogh Showcase.

Looking back at the experience, fourth-grade teacher Margaret Bitz says, “The reason I love The Giving Square is that it is designed to help children develop empathy and encourage a life in which they feel a part of something larger than themselves. It is powerful to witness these children understanding that they, too, can make a difference and impact the lives of others.”

Head of School Dave Farace ’87 adds, “In a time when there are so many challenges in our world, our students remind us that we have the power to use our intellect, our talents, and our passion for good!”