If Bottenfield Elementary principal Chris Gilbert ever wanted a piece of confirmation that he is achieving one of his primary goals for the school, it arrived in the form of fourth-grader Emmie Vargas last week.
Vargas sought a way to help residents in Florida and Texas recover from the devastating hurricanes that ripped through their states this month. So she raised the subject with Gilbert.
“We sat down and came up with the idea of collecting school supplies for students who may have been affected by a natural disaster and who will return (to school) and might not have the resources they need,” Gilbert said.
Starting Sept. 18, students in grades kindergarten through 5 will donate glue, paper notebooks and any other schools supplies they can muster up to send to their counterparts in the south. The donation period lasts through Sept. 29, with the proceeds going to the Red Cross for distribution. The kicker: The grade that produces the most items will be rewarded with a party of its choice – pizza party, movie party, ice cream party, etc. The winning grade level will be announced Oct. 2.
The idea that a fourth-grader was so motivated to help others in a time of need was a reflection of Gilbert’s overarching goal at Bottenfield – to get students to think of being a part of the solution, not a part of the problem.
“We do a lot of talking about promoting ways to help each other, and we always talk about the Bottenfield way and the Bottenfield pledge: To do my best, be responsible and make Bottenfield the best school it can be,” Gilbert said. “I thought it was great that she wanted to think outside of herself and get the whole school involved. The idea was students helping students. It was such a great idea that I thought, ‘I have to do something.’”