Voorheesville First Graders Came to Visit Us!
Curiosity, helping hands and 276 pounds of generous donations—our Voorheesville Elementary School first graders brought all of these and more during their April visit to the New Scotland Community Food Pantry. Click the title above for the full story and photos.
The students were welcomed by Judy Douglas, a retired VES teacher and dedicated pantry volunteer, who gave them a behind-the-scenes look at how the pantry works. She explained how food donations are collected, how volunteers help families shop for what they need, and what it takes to keep everything organized, stocked, and running smoothly.
Each of the five first-grade classes brought in donations to contribute to the pantry. While each class worked on an activity, Mrs. Douglas weighed all the items and challenged the students to guess the total. The big reveal: Together, the VES first graders donated 276 pounds of food and supplies—an amazing contribution.
The visit wasn’t just about giving—it was also about discovering. Students took part in a hands-on inventory activity, exploring both the pantry shelves and the back room. They searched for different food groups and kept track using tally marks: fruits, vegetables, proteins, fats, and grains. Their findings? Every single category was well represented in the pantry.
Students also helped stock the shelves, placing donated items in the appropriate place. As they stocked, they noticed some unexpected items. When asked what surprised them most, one student exclaimed “fish!” after spotting canned salmon. Others were surprised to find items like Tide detergent and toothbrushes—great reminders that the pantry provides more than just food.
Students put their critical thinking skills to use when Mrs. Douglas showed them a photo of a “CANstruction” display from a fundraiser several years ago—a Batman logo made entirely out of canned goods. Mrs. Douglas turned it into a thinking challenge, asking students to figure out which types of canned foods were used to create each color in the design. As a fun follow-up, they learned that after the event, the pantry received a very large donation of black olives—since they were key to building Batman!
We’re so proud of the first graders for their thoughtful participation and generosity. We are already looking forward to having next year’s first graders visit the pantry.
