English teacher ties service, culture into curriculum

"Richard Mullins’ goal is not just to help his students get to the next grade level, it’s to prepare them for college. This year, the Charleston Development Academy English teacher decided to tie in a service project to his curriculum for his sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students. 'The beautiful thing about being a literature teacher is it gives me the freedom to incorporate a lot of events and nonfiction into my curriculum,' he said. The students are collecting spare change for Action Against Hunger, an international nonprofit that aims to find sustainable solutions to ending world hunger. The students have raised about $122 so far and have a goal of $400 by December. Eighth-grader Alonzo Gray said the change will help develop Zimbabwe’s water system so they don’t have to travel far distances for water and so communities can become self-sufficient."