Charlotte Women's Shelter

In mid-October, the 7th grade class traveled to the Mecklenburg County courthouse to learn about how our judicial system deals with tough issues like domestic violence. An Assistant District Attorney gave them a first-hand look at the court room and how it operates. After participating in some role-playing, they got a chance to interact with District Attorney Peter Gilchrist in a question/answer session.

The class followed up this trip by learning how they can help some of the victims of domestic violence. In late October, they went to the Shelter for Battered Women in Charlotte and spent a morning sprucing up the yard - they gathered 43 bags of leaves and washed 52 windows. The Shelter provides counseling, support and a safe haven to women, and their children, dealing with intimate partner domestic violence.

During the holiday season, the 7th graders went one step further by collecting $690 in donations from Woodlawn families and buying items that were requested by the Shelter for both the women and children who reside there.