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West Patent Elementary School Combines Literacy and Gardening with Annual Fundraiser
“If I could, I would buy all the books in the universe!” said Elise, a first grader in Elizabeth Wagner’s class at West Patent Elementary School. Elise was sitting on the sidewalk in front of the school with a few of her classmates, an array of newly purchased books spread out in front of them as they compared finds. The students had just purchased books for a dollar a piece at the school’s annual “A Buck A Book” fundraiser.
The event helps raise money for the school’s gardens while also celebrating a love of reading and teaching the benefits of recycling and reusing materials. This year, tables filled with gently used books for all ages lined the front of the building and students browsed while Fox Lane High School ASPIRE environmental interns helped run the event. All proceeds from the fundraiser will go to purchasing plantings for the garden.
Students were bubbling with excitement as they shopped, excitedly calling over friends to let them know about books they found that might be of interest and cheering when they realized they had enough money for another book.
“This book cost $17 and I got it for $1!” said Annabelle, an excited fifth grader.
“I see this book all the time and I’ve been so interested!” one of her classmates cried, holding up a copy of Restart by Gordon Korman.
Later, Blair, a first grader, said “I love reading. I got all the Horrible Harry books I could find.”
While eager readers were having fun in the front of the building, their peers in Jaclyn Fieberg’s class were getting their hands dirty out back in the Learning Garden — the very place that will directly benefit from the book sale.
“In the Learning Garden, students pitch in to create beautiful beds filled with flowers, plants and even fairies,” said enrichment teacher Denise Connolly. “They learn where their food comes from, basic gardening skills which will last a lifetime and an overall appreciation of planet Earth.”
On this particular sunny afternoon, ASPIRE intern Catherine Canelas Zambrano helped students pull weeds, spread compost and plant basil, squash, cucumbers, zucchini and eggplant.
“You have a very important job,” Fieberg told them. “You’re going to be digging down and putting in plants or seeds.”
Students dug right in and began making connections right away.
“It’s cool how one little seed can make a big plant,” one student said.
Another student realized they were planting cucumbers and got excited saying, “I love when my mom puts lemon and salt on my cucumbers.”
We cannot wait to see how the money raised from books students purchased throughout the week contribute to their time in the garden this spring.