Northeast Metro Tech’s Early Childhood Education program has collected more than 50 bedtime essentials for children in need.
“It is an important cause to all of us and as a school community,” says senior Yesenia Montijo.
Earlier this semester, students and teachers at the Wakefield school gathered books and pairs of pajamas as part of the “1 Million Good Nights Pajama Program,” a national non-profit organization. The Metro Tech—a regional vocational high school drawing students from Chelsea, Malden, Melrose, North Reading, Reading, Revere, Saugus, Stoneham, Wakefield, Winchester, Winthrop, and Woburn—has sent the items to the Counsel of Social Concern for distribution to needy families in Massachusetts.
Students in the Early Education program made this effort a success by hosting a pajama drive at the school to raise awareness of the cause. The students created posters and placed them around the school and set up boxes where donations were collected.
“We learned how advertising can help raise awareness and hope to advertise even more next year,” says senior Kailee Andrews.
This effort, conducted under the supervision and guidance of Metro Tech instructors Barbara Peary and Sarah Scott, will make a difference in many children’s lives.
It is not surprising that these local vocational students would be so attuned to the needs of young people in the community because the Early Childhood Program at the Metro Tech is a fully functioning preschool, which caters to children ages two years and nine months to five years old. The preschool services surrounding communities and has open enrollment all year long. High school students in the program are working towards their preschool teacher license under the supervision of two vocational instructors.
As a force for public service, as well as in its everyday role as a literacy-based pre-school with great teacher-student ratios, Northeast Metro Tech’s Early Childhood program is proving to be a great community resource.