For N.J. students learning at home, free desks built by volunteers make the grade - nj.com

The Habitat of the Bergen County Humanities and Nature Reserve distributed 20 desks to students who are doing distance learning at the Fanny Hillers School in Hackensack.

The desks are small enough to allow students to study at home during class

Pandemic pair

In Westwood.

Teri Capparelli, the head of ReStore, said: "It just killed me and said,'No, we don't have them.'

This is what led Capparelli to cooperate with the so-called "grayheads", which are usually volunteer groups who volunteer to build houses for non-profit organizations. So far, they have built 30 desks for the 30th grade students at Fanny M. Hillers School in Hackensack.

On Saturday, 20 desks were distributed to families at ReStore. The team also built and donated 10 desks for school students in December.

"It's great that in this COVID era, everyone has shown that they have a caring heart. It's absolutely great." said Erick Charleston, who served his children (including him on Saturday). My 8-year-old daughter) received two desks. His child spends most of his time doing homework in bed.

Families with more than one school-age child may need to participate in competing Zoom meetings or other background noise. Since Fanny M. Hillers School was remote in March, this has been a challenge that both students and teachers must overcome.

"In school, we don't have these interferences." The principal of the school, Joy Dorsey-Whiting, said. “Therefore, children are required to learn deeply in this distance learning environment to succeed. If they have a place to participate, work and organize, they will be more successful.”

The Bergen County Habitat Center contacted Dorsey-Whiting to discuss an initiative to connect students with free desks. The principal asked the teachers if they knew the students who needed personal study space in order to benefit most from the desk.

During the pandemic, when students study at home, living rooms and kitchen tables have become temporary classrooms. Capparelli's children are now adults, but one of them is a teacher, and she told her students that they feel completely displaced during distance learning.

Capapperelli said: "In this day and age, we just need to pay back the money and do everything possible to take care of people."

Collapsible desks and chairs were purchased in the area, and an art teacher at Fanny M. Hillers School combined tool boxes with paint, sticks and wax paper so that children could personalize their desks.

Dorsey-Whiting said: "When you are in a space full of charm and positivity, you tend to become more productive and happy."

The construction cost of each desk is about $35, and these desks are designed to be lightweight and portable. Bergen County Habitat Center also hopes to provide more desks for students from different schools in the future.

This non-profit organization is looking for donations to build more desks. To donate, please visit

.

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