The start of this challenging school year has many of us anxious. But a group of Winchester High School students is meeting anxiety with action. They are determined to bring positivity, beauty and practical learning to elementary students in 2020.
"School is not going to be normal this year. Kids have been through a lot in the last few months."
Charlotte Diamond
Charlotte is one of seven WHS students planning to mentor 4th graders across Winchester this fall, getting them excited about science, and providing a group project that will culminate in the spring. They reached out to WFEE to fund Project Grow Your Mind with a Student Innovation Grant.
"Our goal is to teach students about the proper incubation of plant life, gardening, and enjoying a field of tulips."
Working with WPS Elementary Science Coordinator Katherine Dwyer, the WHS students will provide zoom lessons to 4th graders about growing flowers from bulbs. In October the high school and elementary students will work together, planting bulbs at each elementary school. Students will be masked, working in small, socially distanced groups, supervised by adults.
The payoff comes this spring when 1,200 tulips bloom around Winchester schools, reminding us of the power of community and the beauty of positivity.