Meadow Lane students raise money for student, Louisiana school, charity
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on March 13, 2006 1:47 PM
Students at Meadow Lane Elementary School raised $1,300 from their recent Valentine card and candy sale and in turn donated all the money to three causes.
On Friday, students from multi-age classes celebrated the success of the third annual Valentine project.
There are four multi-age classes at the school - one combining kindergarten and first grades and three first- and second-grade classes. They had to make 400 Valentines per class and each student had to make 30, teachers explained.
Melanie Payne's class did it in factory fashion.
"With their hands, we put it together," she said, explaining that students assembled their 400 Valentines in one morning. "We had a production line. Every table had something that they had to accomplish."
Another 400 roses were made and donated by parent Monica Patterson, she said. Those that were left over were taken to Sterling House on Valentine's Day and given to residents there.
The combined efforts paid off when the schoolwide sale was held and nearly $1,300 was raised.
"We're excited that we raised all this money because helping others feels great," said student Niya Dickens.
Teacher Jenny Heim said the project was more than just a money-maker.
"It's real life application of needs and wants," she said, explaining it also incorporated elements of social studies, math, and money.
"We oftentimes think children are too little to impact a community. We try to teach them that you can make a difference."
Separate donations were made during Friday's festivities - $150 to the local Red Cross, $450 to Folsom Elementary School in Louisiana, victim of Hurricane Katrina, and $600 to the family of Carson Thomas, a Greenwood Middle School student struck by a car in November while crossing the street for school. Thomas' younger brother is a student at Meadow Lane.
Celia James, Meadow Lane principal, said the card and candy-selling project reflected this year's theme at the school, "Together we shine, heart, body and mind."
"The multi-age Valentine project is a 'shining' example of the important role each person plays in the success of our students, and the accomplishment of our school," she told the students. "Having a heart for others incorporates the need to serve our local and global communities, and we strengthen our body and mind through the work that we do."