Paisley Aldrich is a florist for her “community helper” presentation. ASHLEY SAARI / Ledger-Transcript 
Bristal Vaillancourt speaks about how police officers come to help when people need them. ASHLEY SAARI / Ledger-Transcript 
Bristal Vaillancourt speaks about how police officers come to help when people need them. ASHLEY SAARI / Ledger-Transcript 
Kason Lawler was a garbage collector for his “community helper” project. ASHLEY SAARI / Ledger-Transcript 
Who are the community’s helpers?
The police officer and firefighter who come to an emergency? The doctor who makes sure we’re well, the teacher who helps you learn, or the garbage collector who helps keep the streets clean?
Yes, but also the shopkeepers that provide goods and services: The florist, the barber, the pizza maker.
For Highbridge Hill Elementary first graders, who presented their “Community Helper” showcase projects on Wednesday, the lesson focused on what makes a community and the various jobs that need to be done to create a society, while exploring the work that people do.
Erika Rowland, one of the first-grade teachers, said her class took an extra step of finding a member of the community who had that job, and then interviewed them.
Each student had to select a different profession, then learn a little about their chosen “helper.” They learned about where they worked, the tools they used, and what goods or services they provided. Rowland’s students got to ask their helpers about the favorite part of their jobs.
The students then had to create a presentation board and tell visitors to the Highbridge Hill Elementary School gymnasium about their chosen profession, dressed as their community helper. Besides helping students learn about their community, the project also helped them with writing and public speaking skills.
“I’m a proud teacher. I thought they did awesome,” Rowland said.
Rowland said students interviewing community members was helpful for their students, because many of them had connections to those people. They recognized the name of their pediatrician, or the man who cuts their hair, or their families have bought pizza from the local shops.
Rowland said many of the community members the children interviewed had a similar “favorite part” of their job. It was often meeting new people or being able to help people.
“That’s what community is,” Rowland said. “You meet new people, you bond with people, or with animals, and you help. That was the takeaway: Connection.”
Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on X @AshleySaariMLT.