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Home > Brooklyn’s PS 230 visits “Penny Harvest Headquarters”
March 26, 2008
 At Common Cents, we are versed in talking with students about how they can positively impact their community. We also know how to advise adults on how they can talk to children about issues that matter to them.
So, when seven young philanthropists visited our office on Friday, March 14th we not only had a great time, but experienced first hand how hundreds of other community organizations feel when they open their doors to roundtables from around the city. By the end, we had some great memories and a handful of new strategies to engage young hearts and minds
Students from PS 230 wanted to get a better understanding of how we support the efforts of over 800 Penny Harvest schools in NYC, so they, along with a parent chaperone and their Penny Harvest Coach, Guidance Counselor Anselm Scrubb, spent two hours touring our office, watching a video about the Penny Harvest Field, learning about the logistics behind the Penny Harvest, and interviewing staff members about their roles in the day-to-day operations of the program.
One of the most surprising questions, “What’s the strangest thing that ever happened to you at Common Cents?” was posed to Adam Seidel, NYC Program Director. In searching for an answer he sought to find an example that would connect his role at Common Cents with something to which students could relate. He settled on the story of a postal mystery: Packages sent out to Penny Harvest schools in December containing VIP passes to the Penny Harvest Field were inexplicably opened before reaching the schools. Who opened them?!
Hundreds of interactions just like these are happening throughout the city - right now! - as Penny Harvest student leaders on philanthropy roundtables are getting down to the business of making grants. Students are reaching out to, and interviewing representatives from organizations they are considering as grant recipients. We know that when students visit organizations in their communities they not only learn more about issues that matter to them, they also leave energized to do something to help.
In fact, Mr. Scrubb reported that the students from PS 230 not only had a fabulous time at Common Cents, but left feeling more connected to the program and their responsibilities as student leaders.
We’re glad the students had a good time, but it was just as fun and rewarding an experience for us! We are more committed than ever to encourage other organizations to facilitate student visits and help them navigate the challenges of providing a meaningful experience for students.
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