Students from Hewlett Elementary School are learning that even small acts of kindness can make a big impact, thanks to their ongoing partnership with Angela’s House.
Members of the school’s Student Council recently visited the food pantry to see firsthand how their yearlong fundraising efforts — collecting dry goods, toiletries and other essentials — help families in need across the community.
“It really makes me feel good inside because I know I’m helping people,” said fifth grader Tiffany Levin. “Not everyone always thinks about people who need help, but when you do something, even small, it matters.”
The visit served as a “full-circle moment,” educators said, allowing students to connect their in-school initiatives with real-world impact. During the trip, students met with Angela’s House representative John Coyne, who explained the pantry’s mission and how donations from Hewlett Elementary have helped keep shelves stocked with items like soup, cereal and paper goods.
Student Council at Hewlett Elementary includes representatives from each class in grades two through five and is designed to foster leadership and civic responsibility at a young age. Younger students are selected by their teachers, while fifth graders campaign and are elected by their peers to serve in roles such as president, vice president, secretary and treasurer.
“We really try to focus on leadership and giving back in ways the students can actually see,” said teacher and advisor Stephanie Maltz. “In the past, we raised money for national organizations, which is wonderful, but the impact can feel distant. Partnering with Angela’s House allows students to directly see how their efforts help their own neighbors.”
Throughout the year, the council organizes themed drives, including a Thanksgiving food collection, a winter “Souper Bowl” canned goods drive and a spring effort focused on paper products — a need students learned about during earlier visits.
“They were surprised to learn that items like toilet paper can’t be purchased with food assistance benefits,” Maltz said. “That really opened their eyes and motivated them to help fill that gap.”
Principal Heather Sosnovsky said the partnership has become a defining part of the school’s culture.
“When you walk into Angela’s House, you can actually see signs and reminders of Hewlett Elementary’s contributions over the years,” she said. “It’s something our students take pride in, and it reinforces the values we try to instill — empathy, civic responsibility and kindness.”
Superintendent Dina Anzalone joined the students on the visit, underscoring the district’s commitment to community engagement and student leadership.
For many students, the experience was eye-opening.
“A lot of kids don’t realize there are people in their own neighborhood who need help,” Sosnovsky said. “This gives them that awareness — and more importantly, shows them they can do something about it.”
Building on the visit, Student Council members plan to continue their outreach efforts and raise awareness, so more families know about available resources.
“It’s not just about collecting donations,” Maltz said. “It’s about building compassionate leaders who understand their role in the community — and that’s a lesson that lasts far beyond elementary school.”
Superintendent of the Hewlett-Woodmere school district Dina Anzalone accompainied the students on the trip and said that servant leadership is what they hope to instill in the students.
“I think it is important even at an early age for students to see themselves as changemakers and leaders,” Anzalone wrote in an email.
