Making A Difference: Target's Heroes & Helpers and the PWHS Service Learning Class

Small groups of Plymouth Whitemarsh High School students in Santa hats zipped up and down the aisles at the Target store in the Metroplex, looking to fill a child’s wish list for the holidays. 

PWHS senior Ben Dickson’s group hunted for presents for a five-year-old girl. “It’s good to try to shop for other people, and it’s a really fun experience to help others,” he said.

As part of Target’s Heroes & Helpers program, the store provided $1,000 in gift cards—in addition to cookies and hot chocolate for the student shoppers. Armed with a list of toys, clothing, and other needs, the seniors in the high school’s Service Learning class worked within the budget to select just the right gifts. 

“It’s doing things for our community,” said PWHS senior Madyson Esposito. “I feel like everyone should get a chance to help others, because it makes you feel better about yourself.” 

Tom Leonard, Assets Protection and Executive Team Leader at the Metroplex Target, believes that the event reflected the company's purpose: helping all families discover the joy of everyday life. “This opportunity will not only bring holiday cheer to families in Colonial, but also gave the students a meaningful, hands-on experience in compassion and community service,” he said. “By supporting these young leaders, we were able to strengthen the community we serve while fostering the spirit of giving that reflects who we are as an organization.”

Having the full class at Target for the Heroes & Helpers event was actually unique for the Service Learning students. The class meets on Mondays during the final period of the day, and, for the rest of the week, the students leave school early to take on a service project that is important to them. Projects have included volunteering at an animal shelter, running sports clinics for children, manning a Teen Talk Line, digitizing old athletic records at the school, and helping with Special Olympics. 

Teacher Chris Manero noted the difference between community service and service learning is the work the students put into logging their time, reflecting on the practice, exploring what they could do differently, and presenting on their experience. “They’re seniors, so they’ve earned this flexibility in their schedule,” he said. “Instead of just taking a class simply to fill their time, it’s a chance to do something that also helps other people.”

The $1,000 grant from Target’s Heroes & Helpers program was secured through the Colonial School District Education Foundation.