Kennedy-Longfellow students, families, and staff have sponsored
and supported many programs that benefit our community. Here are a few
of our partners:
Draper Laboratory, IBM, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Through
the KeyPal Program, all fifth graders from the Kennedy-Longfellow
Elementary School are paired with employees from Draper Laboratory, IBM,
and MIT. The program provides adult role models, fosters the
improvement of writing and computer skills, and increases career
awareness through one-on-one virtual mentoring and face-to-face visits
in the workplace and at the school. Both Cambridge School Volunteers (CSV) and Kennedy-Longfellow School staff members coordinate the program.
Food for Free
Through our partnership with Food for Free, a local non-profit organization that supports those suffering from food scarcity by rescuing fresh food that might otherwise go to waste and redistributing it to those in need. We partner with them through our Weekend Backpack program which packs healthy meals for families in need at school on Fridays so students can bring it home with them over the weekend. We also partner with Food for Free for our monthly KLO Market. This is a wonderful fresh food market that we set up in our Activity Room once a month. This wonderful event is free and open to all KLO and CSUS families to come and choose from a wide array of fresh fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods. We are proud of our rich and rewarding partnership with Food for Free and honored to collaborate with them.
Mass Audubon
Through
our partnership with Mass Audubon, third grade students at the
Kennedy-Longfellow School participate in hands-on in-class activities as
well as field experiences to the Charles River and Habitat Education
Center and Wildlife Sanctuary in Belmont. Such meaningful experiences
support and enrich the content of the third grade habitat science unit.
Pegasystems is a Cambridge based software company that is actively engaged with the Kennedy-Longfellow School. Volunteers from Pega help with the K-Lo Markets, Weekend Backpacks, and annual events such as our Multicultural Night. They also do student driven service learning projects with our 2nd graders. Additionally, each year Pega staff provide holiday gifts for all the students enrolled in the Weekend Backpack program. Helene O’Brien, our primary contact at Pega, is also on the K-Lo School Council.
Pennies for Patients
Since
1993, millions of dollars have been raised in pennies and other spare
change by more than 10 million elementary, middle and high school
students throughout the country through the Pennies for
Patients® program. These funds benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma
Society. Everyone who participates is a winner!
Every year the students of the Longfellow School have donated their
extra pennies to support Leukemia research. Once again our students will
be asking individuals to donate their spare change!
Volpe National Transportation Systems Center
Through
the Cambridge School Volunteer’s Reading Buddies program, Volpe
National Transportation Systems Center employees read to 2nd and 3rd
grade students at the Kennedy-Longfellow School each week. For the past
15 years, Volpe employees have served as mentor-readers, fostering
strong relationships with students through rich text discussion.