Second-grade students at St. Brendan Catholic Elementary in Miami, Florida.
Watching the students understand the importance of giving to others is truly a wonderful part of being a teacher.
The project is part of a larger, on-going initiative by St. Brendan called “Knocking on Someone’s Door,”
which is designed to help students develop social consciousness. Each grade at the K-8th grade parochial school selects a charity, and then teachers work with students to develop projects to support the charity and help students see how they can make a difference.
And the decision to support St. Jude as their charity seemed as if it was meant to be.
The very day Valeiras talked with the sandwich shop about the bread pieces, she spoke with a family member who mentioned St. Jude as a possible charity. When she got home from work that afternoon and checked her mail, she had a letter from St. Jude.

“It felt like divine intervention,” she said.
She hopes to continue the Live Whole project in the next school year.
“As an educator in today's world, it is important to teach our students about giving and being grateful,” Valeiras said. “Through this project the kids saw other children their age needing prayers and money to help them fight to feel better.”
You, too, can make a difference for St. Jude kids.
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