Saint Mary School students sample poverty
Gilroy – The scene was not unusual in some parts of the world – more than 40 hungry kids lined up, hands cupped together in hopes of getting a scoop of cold rice for lunch.
What was odd was that this was taking place not in Ethiopia or Central America – the stereotypical milieus for dramatic starvation imagery – but in a quaint cottage on the edge of the campus of the Saint Mary School in Gilroy.
The school’s seventh and eighth grades took part Wednesday in a hunger banquet, in which the number of students who were given food and the type of food they were given were based on the proportion of people who have access to that type of food worldwide.
The haves and have-nots
In accordance with worldwide dietary patterns, only 12 of the more than 70 students, parents and teachers gathered were selected at random to receive a full meal of a hamburger, French fries and a large soda from In-N-Out Burger. Meant to represent citizens of developed counties such as America, the chosen dozen sat on padded chairs at a table covered in colorful cloths.
The first one called in the drawing was eighth grader Brittany Nacimientos, who walked to the table with her head down, visibly conscious of the jealous stares of her classmates.
An additional 20 people – stand-ins for the population of countries with moderate amounts of amenities, were given a small portion of rice and refried beans. They ate using forks and sitting on cushions on the floor.
“I’m glad that I’m getting something at all,” said seventh grader Rene Lambert, one of the 20 people selected, as he scraped his plate clean.
The remaining 40-plus attendees were given a scoop of cold rice – some directly into the palms of their hands – had no utensils and sat on the tiled floor.
Lessons well learned
Chance was a key theme of the lunch, put together by a team of teachers in hopes that students would realize that they had won a lottery of birth by being born into such an affluent society.
The students were also shown a short film on and were given slips of paper containing facts about the scope and effects of poverty.
“This is an introduction,” said Cecile Mantecon, a teacher and organizer of the banquet. “This is something that will make them think. I’m hoping they’ll somehow remember this when they get older.”
There were signs, however, that the lessons were already sinking in. Several students served burgers and fries did not finish their meal because they felt guilty.
Their luck was made all the more conspicuous as the students eating rice on the floor finished their scant portions quickly and spent the majority of the lunch period staring at – or in some cases, lingering over – those that were still eating.
The effort will continue outside of school-mandated activities, said seventh grader Chris Nojadera.
“When I’m at other places and I see people who are hungry, I’ll give them things that I don’t need,” he said.
