Left: Students, parents and teachers climb Mt. Philo in the 12th Annual Hike for Hunger.

Joanne Heidkamp, Program Director for the Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger, came to The Renaissance School the week before the Hike to educate them about it, as well as speaking with the fourth, fifth and sixth graders about participating in a writing contest related to hunger in Vermont. Her visit generated a lot of excitement in the students.

“They [the children] were so enthusiastic about the Hike and raising money to feed hungry children. They were determined to get all their pledges in,” said Leah Mulvey, Director of The Renaissance School.

Right: The Renaissance School Students gather for a picnic and a reading of their writings on top of Mt. Philo.

Alida Duncan, Development Associate for the Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger, said the Hike was “quite a success” and that The Renaissance School students contributions were “very successful.”

“The Hike for Hunger is more than just fundraising,” said Duncan. “It is an opportunity for exercise and nutrition, as well as being an opportunity for children to take action to actually affect something that they believe in.”

The entire student body of The Renaissance School turned out for the Hike to climb Mt. Philo. They were fortunate to have beautiful weather, and at the summit, the climbing party gathered together for a picnic snack, and enjoyed some storytelling, as well as some student poetry and short stories read aloud by members of the parent community.

To find out more about the Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger, you may visit their website at:

www.vtnohunger.org

Left: The Renaissance School students, parents and teachers return home after a successful hike.