A group of Brooklyn high school students put their classroom lessons into practice by handing out clothes and food to the needy Wednesday, just before Thanksgiving.

The 11th-graders from the Brooklyn School for Global Studies collected clothing for weeks and raised money as part of a project that originated in the classroom.

?They're seeing how their involvement in the community can make a difference not just in their own lives, but in the lives of the people they help,? teacher Tom Mancuso said.

?You could say it's a class project, but it's more than that,? student Cristina Byrd said. Byrd was a leader in the effort and says reading about poverty doesn?t come close to the experience of seeing it firsthand.

The day ended with a special raffle. Two winners will get a head-to-toe makeover, a new suit and job training. Teachers from the school said their students will follow up with the winners to offer more help and see if the makeovers made a difference.

As many as 300 Brooklyn residents got a helping hand from the students.