by Teddy Gross

It is only December, but already there is snow on the pine trees and a foot accumulation – in the store windows on Broadway near our offices.  But out in the Bronx, along 233^rd Street, not far from PS 87, the school I was visiting, the only storefront on the block is a clinic, with a shop window that announces that Medicaid patients are welcome.

This is the northern edge of the New York City, abutting Mt. Vernon, where George Washington’s old farm is preserved as a museum for tourists.  But this part of the Bronx is now mostly Jamaican, according to Susan Garcia, the Penny Harvest Coach, who graciously has invited me to spend the morning visiting her school.

Our first stop is Mr. Bonar’s classroom.  Bonar, I was told, is so gung-ho about the Penny Harvest every year his class comes in first in the school.  Evidently Mr. Bonar was not that gung-ho about my visit, since  today he was out sick.

But the class seemed glad enough to see me – it was a break from learning about Native American history, and they made a circle to have a conversation. It was awkward at first.  It may be my advancing age, or I may simply be out of practice, but I notice that it has been harder for me lately to warm up to very young crowd. But then almost everything used to be easier!

Of course, conversations like this are not what I come to schools for.  I love the site visit when I am allowed to tip-toe to the back of the room, and just sit unnoticed, watch and learn. But here I was in a circle with twenty third graders, so I did my best to break the ice.  I told them a little about myself, and ended by telling them my firm conviction that every one of  them knew. In their heart of hearts, they had greatness inside them, but that I believed most grown-ups haven’t always seen that. I explained that this was why there was an organization called Common Cents, and that we were dedicated to bringing out the greatness of children.

That seemed to loosen their tongues a little, and they began telling me their experiences penny harvesting.  Nothing special there, but all important stories nonetheless.  One boy explained that his mother gave him three dollars when he told her the class was helping the poor.  A girl explained that her daddy never spends his pennies, and neither do his friends, so they all gave theirs to her.  I asked if anyone there was praised lately for being good, and almost everyone in the class shot up their hands.

Then we played some math games. I gave them a problem and asked the class to split into groups: how many pennies in half a million dollars?  Everyone ran to the blackboard.  The girl beside me stayed in her seat.  When I asked her why she wasn’t at the blackboard, she said because I know the answer already.

I never found out whether she had the right answer, because just then the groups came rushing back and whispering their answers in my ear.  A thousand, a million, twenty million, two hundred million.  I set each group straight, and back to the board they ran.  Finally Denik, a fiery-eyed girl, and her friends Michelle and Deannlin announced they had it right.

And they did.

Teddy Gross is the co-founder and executive director of Common Cents

PS 87 Penny Harvest Coach Susan Garcia