What can a bunch of second-graders do to help impoverished families in Guatemala? Inspired by one of their own, students from The Island School decided to make and sell cookies. The second-grade class combined their interests in birds and bird nests with their desire to help others and came up with the idea to make bird nest cookies and donate the proceeds to Mayanfamilies.org.

In February, three inspiring young men who spent time in Guatemala living on $1 a day (www.LivingonOne.org) visited The Island School. Chris Temple, Zack Ingrasci and Sean Leonard made a film about their experience and continue to raise funds for microfinance loans for Guatemalan families.

Second-grader Carlos Field-Bennett also inspired his classmates. Carlos, with the help of his family, made and sold candy and donated the proceeds to one of the families the Living on One group had met. By May, the whole class was ready to pitch in.

Order forms for bird nest cookies went home in everyone’s backpacks. Students posted colorful flyers in the school and created “talking points” for presenting to other classrooms. Thursday found a cookie assembly line in the school kitchen, and students made personal deliveries to every student, teacher and family customer on Friday.

On Monday, the class reported they had sold enough cookies to raise $406. Then, one family offered to match their efforts, so they will be sending $812 to MayanFamilies.org. A bed, a stove and a washbasin are on their way to a family in Guatemala.