Community Lesson
The Old Quarry Middle School PTO in Lemont, Ill., teams up with teachers and the student council to clean up the school grounds twice a year. In addition to improving the school’s look, the project helps teach the kids a sense of responsibility, says Jackie Carlock, the PTO’s vice president of school and building support. As students pick up trash, pull weeds, plant bulbs, and spread mulch, they also “learn how rewarding it can be to work together to help the community.”
This Old Cafeteria
At Wildwood Elementary in Amherst, Mass., parent volunteer Susan Rupp helped win a $25,000 grant from the Rotary Club of Amherst to spruce up the school’s multipurpose cafeterias, which hadn’t had any substantial changes in more than 40 years. Volunteers solicited additional donations and teamed up with the school’s parent group, which helped spread the word about the project. School district employees installed storage, lighting, and new tables. But Rupp says it’s the cafeteria walls, which now showcase beautiful murals created by a local artist, that are truly stellar.
Party Time
When the PTO at Greenfield (N.H.) Elementary hosts its annual spring cleanup to spruce up the school grounds, it adds a pizza party to make it more appealing, says Lisa Carey, past PTO president. A few pizzas can make a big difference. The cleanup is not seen as a chore but as a social event for families. The work is done in two shifts and the pizza party is held between shifts to bring together as many folks as possible.
