Milpitas High School teacher Tricia Brownstein’s students have spearheaded a valuable and inspirational project. The head of the Travel and Tourism Academy, Brownstein advised her senior students in their project of putting together 220 self-care goodie bags for Milpitas families in need of extra support.
As the project got going, Brownstein approached the Milpitas Rotary Club for help with attaining 400 masks. Milpitas Unified School District (MUSD) Vice President and Rotary Board Member Kelly Yip-Chuan explained in an email to The Beat, “I got [MUSD’s Latino Community Liaison] Norma Morales involved since she was familiar with these families and the process…”
Said Morales in an interview with The Beat, “I love to give back to my community. And knowing that students are so thoughtful and kind to think about our families in need, I just like to jump in and support them however I can. For me, it’s an honor to be part of this project. And it really hit home with me because I personally work with these families in need, so I know the impact that this support will have on our families. If I can make an impact on a family, I’m all for it.”
After hearing from Yip-Chuan, Morales approached Milpitas’ Staples store. The manager there agreed to donate over 200 bags of school supplies and hand sanitizer. Soon Former Milpitas City Councilmember Bob Nuñez pitched in to donate 220 tote bags. Yip-Chuan’s dentist, Dr. Megna Sethi, kept the momentum going by donating over 400 toothbrushes and toothpastes. Students also wrote letters to their own dentists to bring in more donations.
In an email to The Beat, Brownstein added, “Milpitas Teachers Association also donated $2,500 to the project.”
Prior to the distribution, Brownstein and her students assembled the self-care goodie bags with Morales and Yip-Chuan’s help.
On Wednesday, March 10, the bags were given out.
Said Morales, “It was beautiful. I almost cried. Families were so grateful, extremely happy to know that this many people care for them.”
