Joel Was Right
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Do you ever think one day we could get milk?
Thats what a student at South High Community School in Worcester asked Principal Maureen Binienda this past school year. He wasnt talking about the small cartons of chocolate and low-fat milk that accompany school lunch- he was referring to a gallon of milk, a gallon he hoped to take home to his mother.
Maureen is not your typical high school principal she is tiny with adorable freckles and a perky personality. And along with handling the administrative duties as principal of one of Worcesters most culturally diverse inner city schools, she has taken on another responsibility: running a food pantry for needy students at South High.
So it was no surprise to the faculty when Maureen put the milk request on the agenda at her faculty meeting that very afternoon. The next day, teachers brought in milk, eight times over!
Milk! the boy said. Are you kidding? Were going to have milk!
Do you Know Anyone whos Hungry?
This student is one of the 177 homeless teens who attend South High, students who are often without food on nights and weekends. Homeless can mean a number of things: couch surfing, doubling up with friends, living with countrymen or spending nights in a shelter. 10% of kids in Worcester are homeless, says Sara Noble Young, South Highs adjustment counselor. In South High alone, its 12%.
Maureen realized the magnitude of students in this situation through a special week-long educational program the school runs every year called Hunger Week. This week is devoted to learning about hunger and its effects. During this program, Maureen asked her students, Do you know anyone who is hungry?
Ten brave kids came forward and said yes. And thats when it began. Due to a policy put forth by Worcester food banks, one must be 18 years old to receive food. This means that most of the homeless students at South High are stuck. They need to work to provide for their families and themselves, but if they work, they dont have time to attend school and graduate. When Maureen and her staff realized that some of their kids were facing this situation, they just could not let that happen.
As soon as Maureen said, Oh yeah! Lets do it!, the food pantry became a reality.
It is this go-getter attitude that is most striking about Maureen. She collects donations from her dedicated staff to stock the pantry shelves and is so driven and energetic that she does not sleep. Maybe just four hours a night, South High nurse practitioner Eileen Keane tells baystateparent.
Since Maureen tries to get to know everyone and is always on the go, she has been instrumental in teaming South High up with the fortune-500 insurance company, Unum, as corporate sponsor of the school. She also coordinates donations for the food pantry and beyond from Hanover Theater, Fallon Health Clinic, MLS Listings and Central Mass Podiatry.
Maureens success shows the power of the mind to move a school and community, says Eileen. Maureen, who worked as a teacher and then assistant principal before becoming principal four years ago, has spent an impressive 34 years at South High. Our staff goes above and beyond. Our teachers feel needed, she says.
Not your Typical Nurses Office
The exam room at South High is not what most of us remember from our high school days. There are crackers, but not just a couple to soothe upset stomach aches. Instead, there are several shelves against the wall neatly packed with canned Goya green beans and corn, stacks of boxed Mac n Cheese, Kelloggs cereal and various other non-perishables. Heaps of clothing freshly washed by Maureen spill out of bags and boxes on the floor and one cardboard container contains childrens books. For our teen moms, the nurses explain.
Most of the food is donated and organized by the teachers themselves who pick up extra peanut butter, pasta and beans during their routine weekly shopping.
Students in need stop by the Health Center after school, pick up one of the ordinary-looking waiting backpacks and fill it with food. The great thing about the bag is its ambiguity. That lump in the front pocket could be a pencil case, or it could be a can of green beans. That rectangular edge could be the point of a science book or the corner of a box of rice. The students dont have to let any of their friends or peers know their situation; although, this year Maureen and her staff are really trying to cultivate an atmosphere where there is no shame in being homeless or hungry.
Maureen recalls a recent afternoon on bus duty. One of the students tapped her shoulder with one finger, tapped his backpack and then gave her a thumbs up. This secret appreciation is just one of the links in the chain Maureen has created with a few cans of food, some boxes of pasta and a whole lot of caring. One boy consistently comes after school on Monday, Wednesday and Friday to pick out rice and canned soup. He is the main food provider for his family, and this his his familys version of grocery shopping. The students will even take the bags of cereal out of the boxes, Maureen says, to fit more food in the backpack.
Hunger is prevalent - and were not talking about kids living in the projects. Were talking about families who are struggling hard in this economy to make it work. Parents are losing homes because they are buying food instead of paying their mortgage, says Susan Sleigh, a nurse at South High. Maureen explains, Many families have to choose between oil and food.
These kids have a lot of resilience. If I had grown up in their houses, it would be hard to come in with a smile, Maureen admits.
Yet the kids do. They never feel sorry for themselves, Eileen, Maureen and Susan collectively agree. They also agree that the schools atmosphere tends to surprise visitors as its so unique and positive. The cultural diversity here is fantastic. It is rocking! says Susan. Everyone gets along too, Maureen adds.
Refrigerators and Bed Sheets, Too
The generosity of school staff does not end at the food pantry. In the conference room, a mini fridge, donated by one of the teachers, is waiting for a recent graduate to pick it up for college. Maureen and her staff choose a couple of students every year and help outfit their dorm rooms. while a lot of kids get full scholarships to excellent schools, such as WPI, Harvard and Yale, they cant afford to buy sheets or a microwave or any of the stuff college freshmen enjoy picking out for their rooms.
High school can be the most hostile place in the world, but under Maureens leadership at South High, its a place filled with love. Maureen knows these kids. They respect her because they know she cares. Shes a social worker at heart. She has connections, and shes always volunteering, says Sarah.
As for the teachers? They always come back, Maureen says. Those that teach in the suburbs say the difference is those kids dont need me. These kids need me.
Head secretary of the school, Maureen Mohamed, notices the positive affect the principal has on the students, the staff and community. Maureen does so much for the community. Its incredible. She takes care of every kid like they are her own.
This past school year, 86 students and their families were helped by South Highs Food Pantry, a credit to the big hearts of the staff. Everyone just goes beyond, beyond, beyond, Susan says. All that going beyond has helped with more than just feeding kids-the program also helps to prevent students and their families from finding themselves in a homeless position. And there are always 86 more to be helped.
The Little Things
While most administrators are busy hiring staff, planning assemblies and focusing on next years curriculum this summer, Maureen is also tending the school garden so that her students and the community have fresh vegetables. Not to mention watering the flowers in the front of the school so it will look nice for the kids. And since South High is closed over the summer, she works with The South Worcester Neighborhood Center, which is the food distribution location for students during the off-season. Every week Maureen picks up donations from Hanover Theatre volunteers and drops it off at the Center for her kids. The summer doesnt necessarily mean vacation to her.
Principal Maureen Binienda may be tiny, but in no way are her actions. She leaves a wake behind her that makes you want to leave one, too. Her passion makes this story more than just a story about homeless kids. It isnt even a story about a food pantry in a high school. Its a story about giving - and the amazing people behind the generosity. The success at South High is an example of what can happen if people focus on each other - and on the little things that can change the world...like milk at the dinner table.
Alexandra Caulway is an undergraduate at Assumption College and intern at baystateparent. Meeting Maureen and hearing the stories of other teenagers was eye-opening and a very positive experience.
Help Fill a Backpack
Join Principal Maureen Binienda and the staff at South High in filling student backpacks with food by emailing Maureen at biniendam@worc.k12.ma.us. In addition to food donations, gift cards are always appreciated.
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