Jackson students make a difference with service learning

Students at Jackson Junior High School recently had an important learning experience while doing good for others.

Eighth-grade students participated in a food-packing event through Feed My Starving Children. The Christian nonprofit sends meals around the globe to impoverished areas where food insecurity and malnutrition -- concepts the students learned about in their advisory class -- are a real life experience. The food-packing event was coordinated through New McKendree Church in Jackson. Meanwhile, seventh-grade students were also exposed to the key concepts of the service learning project and focused their efforts on local needs.

"We're trying to provide our kids with a mindset of service learning that will carry on later in life," principal Bryan Austin told the Southeast Missourian.

Austin added the plan is to continue this experience going forward. That's good to hear. We're big fans of Feed My Starving Children. Many in this area have participated in similar food-packing events, and the organization does important work globally to feed the hungry and malnourished. And training the next generation to have a service mindset is vital.

It's wonderful that Jackson's junior high students were exposed to these learnings and then had an opportunity to make a difference. We applaud the students, school and their partner New McKendree Church for the good work.