Hoxsie 6th graders ‘packing it in’ for victims of domestic violence

By Nathaniel Bemoranville
Posted 5/10/16

By NATHANAEL DEMORANVILLE

This past month, the Hoxsie School sixth grade students have run a campaign to help the victims of domestic violence.

The students have been collecting toiletries and …

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Hoxsie 6th graders ‘packing it in’ for victims of domestic violence

Posted

By NATHANAEL DEMORANVILLE

This past month, the Hoxsie School sixth grade students have run a campaign to help the victims of domestic violence.

The students have been collecting toiletries and other items to include in backpacks to be donated to the Elizabeth Buffum Chace Center (EBC) in Conimicut. The campaign is the brain child of Kristi DiCenzo, a Hoxsie parent and survivor of domestic violence.

Kristi’s experiences have driven her to help others in similar situations. She’s an active member of the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence and SOAR, Sisters Overcoming Abusive Relationships. Having served 19 years with the US Navy, she is also a veteran. She currently works at the Community College of Rhode Island and Hasbro’s Children Hospital. She also volunteers her time at local organizations like Roger Williams University to educate people in preventing domestic violence.

Her idea for this event came from a surplus of backpacks at the school store. Lacking the signature Henry the Hawk icon, the backpacks weren’t selling. DiCenzo wanted to use them to help EBC, which to her, “was pretty much a no-brainer.”

Part of this was also inspired by a February report from the Rhode Island Coalition in their No More Violence Campaign. From 2005-2015, 58 people died from domestic violence in the state of Rhode Island. A few were men, but the majority were mothers.

The goal in this project, DiCenzo said, was to give victims at the EBC “something that’s theirs, something positive in a negative situation.” She further explains that victims come to the EBC at all hours of the day, throughout the year, even holidays. And, the people who end up at this shelter, “have been displaced from their homes. We wanted them to have these personal items.”

To get this fundraiser off the ground, DiCenzo outlined the campaign to the teachers, Principal Gary McCoombs, and then the kids. Two baskets were then placed in each classroom for about 3 weeks so students could donate toiletries and other supplies.

They also collected some toys to help the kids affected. Sixth grader Dominique Faulkenbery wanted to help them saying she “feels like there’re a lot of kids less fortunate than me.” This empathy towards children affected by domestic violence was something the entire Hoxsie class felt.

The Class of 2016 is graduating this year, but “they’re leaving their mark in promoting positiveness, setting the bar high for future Hoxsie classes,” said DiCenzo. Soon, they enter junior high, and it is important to recognize that statistically, domestic violence is most likely to first present itself between the ages of 11 and 21. These kids are 11 and 12, so educating prevention is vital, said DiCenzo.

“This is part of me,” DiCenzo says, and it is important to “show the kids that unfortunate things do happen, but we can make a positive out of them.” Hoxsie has always given back, and community action will continue to be a priority.

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