St. Thomas Episcopal Parish School, 5692 N. Kendall Dr. in Coral Gables conducted a yearlong project for its fourth grade classes, TOMS One for One.
The project had so many layers of learning as it was a multi-subject, interdisciplinary initiative to study the company TOMS, famous for giving one pair of shoes to someone in need for each pair it sells. The key lesson learned is that anyone, kids included, can build a business, a life, a product, or a service and be very successful, while at the same time, giving back to those in need.
In connection with the project, the children incorporated business planning, social issues, marketing, art, logistics, math, technology, fundraising, and, of course, working together for a greater cause.
Some specifics of what the project entailed included every fourth grader:
• Writing a letter to Blake Mykoskie, founder and chief shoe giver of TOMS;
• Advertising and running the bake sale and performing chores at home to help earn money (a total of $2,500 for each student to buy a pair of TOMS), and
• Writing and producing videos about the entire project for the whole school as well as the parents.
Beginning the year by reading about Mykoskie and ending by walking barefoot along the path of rocks and dirt to understand what others without shoes experience every day, the students ran the gamut — making project-based learning especially meaningful.
TOMS Day took place on Friday, May 12. It was a day of learning and fun.
