Exceptional Ed Students Benefit APW BackPack Program

Exceptional Education students in Sybil Ruffels’ Community Service Learning class at Altmar-Parish-Williamstown Central School District are working to benefit the school’s BackPack program.

Ruffels’ Community Service Learning class now incorporates operations of the BackPack Program into curriculum learning: her students spend Friday mornings sorting donations and organizing food for distribution.

The students are responsible for checking expiration dates, organizing foods by meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack), keeping inventory and making sure the backpacks are packed and ready for the end of the school day on Friday.

The APW BackPack program is an initiative that utilizes donated food items in packed backpacks that go home with students in need on weekends, helping to ensure that no student goes hungry.

Part of the Community Service Learning curriculum involves nutrition and wellness.

Ruffels’ students have not only studied elements of good nutrition, but have put that understanding into practice by planning recipe sheets for the BackPack Program.

The class researches recipes to send home with the backpacks, keeping in mind that the BackPack Program meals need to use common household ingredients and also commonly donated items.

Some of the recipes included have been taco ramen noodles, flapjacks and tuna fish croquettes.

The students also develop their culinary skills as they make and test the recipe for themselves first.

Ruffels said that a rewarding part of the experience has been seeing the students explore the role they can play in providing for the needs of others and the impact of participating in a local community activity.

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