Students at PS 20 Research Homelessness

In an effort to learn from what they have seen all around them, the first grade class 240 from PS 20 on the Lower East Side decided to research homelessness as it has existed in New York City over time. As their work grew into a Learning Fair Project, they conducted discussions and interviews, took pictures and photographs, studied homelesness and how it has changed, made graphs, wrote personal narratives and poetry.

The students were inspired to write a letter to Mayor Bloomberg with their ideas of how to end homelessness and donated food, toys and clothing to the homeless. This project, which has been displayed at Care for the Homeless’s offices, helped them to understand that homeless people need not be feared, but that homelessness calls on us to help change the world.