West Patent Students Honor Veterans with Service Project

On Friday, West Patent Elementary School honored and celebrated Veterans Day with service-learning projects. Each student honored those who have served our country by serving their school community through age-appropriate gardening activities.

Throughout the day, you could find students pulling out plantings, clearing plant beds, mulching, and planting daffodil bulbs. Led by elementary coordinator Denise Connolly, tiered support teachers Kathleen Keenan and Alison Muller, and community volunteer May Marple, students learned about our country’s veterans as well as about plant life.

“Does anyone know what a veteran is?” Connolly asked a group of kindergartners gathered around the flagpole in front of the building.

“Someone who has been in a war!” a student shouted.

Connolly explained that a veteran is anyone who has served in the military. She then taught the students about the six branches of the military.

“Today, we are going to work really hard and plant daffodil bulbs so there will be beautiful flowers for Memorial Day, when we remember our military again,” Connolly said, shifting to the service part of the project.

She showed students daffodil bulbs and asked them questions about what they thought it was, what the “hairy part” might be (the roots), and explained that they were going to make sure the pointy side of the bulb was pointed toward the sky when they put them in pre-dug holes.

“Are you ready to do some service?” she asked, before turning them loose.

Students cheered in response before getting their bulbs and shovels. They walked around the grass looking for holes that were marked by rulers. Once they found one, they put their bulb in and got some soil to put on top, finishing by patting the soil down gently.

“I like doing this!” one student said with a big grin.

“I got some more soil!” another said, going back to their bulb and making sure it was covered.

The day of service was a meaningful experience for the West Patent community — and one that they’ll be able to enjoy again in the spring when daffodils begin to blossom and the school’s gardens have nutrient-dense soil that’s ready for another growing season.

Principal Inas Morsi-Hogans expressed her gratitude to Connolly, Keenan and Muller for organizing the project.

“Your efforts provided our students with a meaningful opportunity to give back and learn the importance of honoring those who have served,” she said. “We appreciate your hard work and the positive impact it had on our students.”

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