By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
The graduating fifth grade classmates at Kenwood Elementary have left their school better than they found it.
While looking ahead at moving to Bowling Green Middle School, the 53 fifth graders were determined to make a difference for the upcoming students at Kenwood.
They leave their elementary with a recycling program, a composter, and recess equipment.
Tyson Hackworth was motivated to bring recycling back to the school when his class was working on a project that used nearly two pounds of paper.
“It’s just wrong. We cut down trees, when we could recycle,” Tyson said.
The waste troubled Tyson, who circulated a petition, collecting at least 30 signatures, to get recycling back.
“It was very convincing,” Kenwood Principal Michel Bechstein said of Tyson’s proposal. “He was very persistent.”
The recycling program, which ended with COVID, was returned – with bins placed throughout the school and in every classroom to collect paper, cardboard, plastic water bottles, and milk cartons.
“They are always full,” said Tyson, who formed a recycling committee that takes contents of the brimming bins to an outside recycling container.
“It’s a gift from me to Kenwood,” Tyson said.
The other fifth grade project was organized by Vivian Tracy, who got the rest of her classmates on board to buy deck boxes and recess equipment for the playground.
“This would be how all the younger grades and Kenwood would remember the class of 2031,” Vivian said.
To accomplish their plan, the students had to raise at least $500. Students were selected from each fifth grade classroom to come up with fundraising ideas. The team included Kai Wulff, Jaivah Smallwood, Emmerson Belleville, Raylen Simon, Cole Seltzer, Lily Bell and Paige Failor. Vivian was chairperson, assisted by Paige Failor and Charleigh Buchhop.
With an upcoming book fair, the students decided it would be an ideal time to host a bake sale.
“It was genius,” Vivian said.
The fifth graders surpassed their goal, raising $560.
“We were jumping with joy,” said Melinda Spoores, a paraprofessional working on the project with the students. “The fifth graders came through with baked goods – all of them homemade.”
Then a “Day of Giving” was dedicated at Juniper Brewing Co., owned by Vivian’s parents, Zach and Chris Tracy. That raised another $375 toward the project.
Next, the students sold $142 in tickets for the chance of putting whipped cream pies in teachers’ faces, and duct taping Bechstein to the wall of the gym.
“The whole gym was jumping with joy,” Spoores said, noting that five rolls of duct tape were used to attach the principal to the wall. “He was such a good sport.”
In total, the class’ efforts raised enough to buy two large deck boxes and several items to store inside for safekeeping between recesses: two footballs, two basketballs, two soccer balls, two volleyballs, two wiffle ball and bat sets, jump ropes, sidewalk chalk, a large umbrella to provide shade for a patio area, and a 43-gallon compost container.
Kai Wulff talked about the importance of the compost container.
“I didn’t like seeing all our food get thrown away in the trash,” Kai said.
Leftover food from the cafeteria will be turned into compost, which will then be put in the school’s garden.
“The fifth graders wanted to leave a class gift,” Spoores said. “The whole fifth grade was so, so excited.”
No one more so than Vivian.
“We always believe we want to leave a place better than we find it,” she said.
