Soup kitchen volunteers? Check.

The students at Argonaut Elementary School are armed and ready for the innovative World Outreach Week, which ends this Friday.

Each grade will take a particular role in the week, which teaches youngsters the value of spending time and resources on needy people around the world.

Starting with a May 27 assembly and May 29 presentations from various charitable organizations, classes are doing hands-on volunteer work this week. For the kindergartners, it means collecting teddy bears for Saratoga Fire District firemen to pass out. The first- and second-graders will put together care packages; third- and fourth-graders will create teaching materials. The fifth-grade classes lent a hand at a local soup kitchen two weeks ago. And throughout the week, the school will collect "new and gently used" soccer balls, letters to terminally ill children, toilet paper rolls and soap.

"We're really not trying to raise money. It's not about raising money," said Anu Singh, a parent volunteer who is coordinating the event. The point is to expose students to those with needs elsewhere in this country and the rest of the world, Singh said.

Singh has, in the past, been involved with the school's International Day, which teaches children about different cultures. Singh, however, kept wanting to go beyond multiculturalism. But it wasn't until her young son saw the poverty in India and felt guilty about his own life that she decided to do something about it.

"We can't remain isolated and close our eyes to the rest of the world," Singh said.

Vandala Thirumale, Singh's sister-in-law, is also involved with World Outreach Week. "We didn't want to have kids raise money; we wanted to have them do something where they felt like they were making a difference," Thirumale said.

The resulting event is one that has the participation of the school, parent volunteers and nonprofits such as Samaritan's Purse, Kids Can Free the Children and Sacred Heart Community Services.

Mike Lane of the organization World Vision was contacted by Singh about his Get a Kick Out of Sharing program. The program, started last July, has a goal "to get 250,000 new and gently used soccer balls over the next three years."

"Everyone that I've talked to—from the littlest 5-year-old to a national, professional player—really likes the idea," Lane said.

Children donating balls are encouraged to write their names and school names on the soccer balls, to give the recipients more of a personal connection.

"It's a wonderful way to lend a hand to children your age around the world," Lane said. "I'm really excited about what Argonaut's doing. It particularly makes an impact on kids K through 5."

Thirumale is coordinating the project that has the third- and fourth-grade classes making teaching materials for a literacy program that benefits girls living in Pakistani villages.

The students will be making anything from basic alphabet books to puzzles and games for children younger than themselves, Thirumale said.

"I think it's sad that we have to make everyone aware that there are people who are less fortunate," said third-grade teacher Gail McCauley. But McCauley expects World Outreach Week to have a lifelong impact on the students. "They are wonderful, caring children. Once they're made aware of it, they will continue."

"When you're putting a part of yourself into these things, you're putting yourself closer to these people," McCauley said. "And that's what we're doing."

Thirumale agrees. "I'd like to continue the tradition," she said. "Children like this kind of thing. I think they feel empowered, and it will continue into something that they will be doing all their lives."