ORANGE PARK — Orange Park Elementary teacher Christopher Harris uses a two-prong approach when it comes to teaching his sixth-grade math students.
On one hand, they’re learning how to effectively solve equations and decipher rational numbers. But on the other, they’re using what they’ve learned to give back to those in need.
With the help of the ALEKS program, the opportunities are endless.
“That’s a win-win,” he said.
Each year, students participate in math fundraisers, using the money to purchase gifts for the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree initiative. ALEKS is an online learning program that Harris said matches his students’ curriculum.
Allowing students to strengthen or learn new skills, as soon as they master a level they move to the next.
“If they’re really into math and really self-motivated, they can also increase their skills and get advanced,” he added.
The program is offered within all the district’s sixth-through-eighth grade math classrooms.
It was Harris who came up with the idea of turning the program into not just a learning tool, but a community fundraiser. For the last three years, participating students spend the entire month of November doing extra ALEKS math problems at home, he said. For each minute they spend working or for every topic they pass, the students get sponsors to donate money.
At the beginning of December, Harris said his class then takes a trip to Walmart on Blanding Boulevard, where they shop for local families in need. Last year, the students raised just under $3,000.
“Currently, we have over half of the kids participating. So, I’m hoping to raise between $4,000 and $5,000.”
Harris said that for him, personally, his mother always instilled in him the importance of giving back. The fundraiser was initially something that he had previously started as a reading teacher 16 years ago.
“Back then, I had an idea to have a read-a-thon, so kids would get sponsors for reading a certain amount of pages or maybe a certain amount of books. And they would raise money, and then we collected that money.”
At that time, he said the Angel Tree used to be located at the Orange Park Mall. Students would arrive with a parent, pick an angel off the tree and shop within the mall.
“I got moved to math, and I don’t know why, but just kind of fell out of that process. And then, a few years ago, I just had an epiphany that I could easily do it with the ALEKS program.”
During this year’s shopping trip on Dec. 6, Harris said students and their parents will arrive to the store and be given a specific angel to shop for.
Following their shopping spree, students will be greeted with an entire lane blocked off just for them to check out. Harris said all the gifts will be bagged up and delivered to the Salvation Army.
He said that every year’s needs are different.
“Most of the time it’s the lists of clothing sizes, so they’ll get clothes. We’ll try to get a kind of combination of clothes and toys, something fun. But, yeah, every once in a while, it’s diapers, it’s underwear, it’s socks. It could be hygiene products.”
Harris said the fundraiser teaches students the importance of education and giving back.
“It’s giving the kids an opportunity to do something for someone else. To realize that people live different lives. And that, there are others out there that are always in a worse position than you are.”
Harris said that each year, he’s seen the magnitude of how the experience impacts his students. He knows the program is doing something positive and hopes to get other classes and schools involved.
“The more people we could help, the better. So, if we could get more people involved either here or within the county, I think that would be fantastic.”