You can’t be an achiever when you don’t take the steps to fulfil your dreams. It takes time and effort to make dreams come true!
Similarly, our dream of helping others could only be actualised with much effort, time and dedication. We researched on different seeds that could grow in a short period of time and discovered that peat pots were suitable for growing plants. After ordering the pots to plant seeds, the pilot phase of the project was executed by teachers. Subsequently, our students kickstarted the project!
The next step was taking care of the plants; they required daily watering in order to keep the soil moist. When the seeds began to sprout, our children were exhilarated. Each leaf brought a million-dollar smile on every one of their faces. While the plants were growing, our children busied themselves with preparing their very own pots. The work they put into the pots’ designs brought a deep sense of gratification; having decorated the pots with their favourite colours and techniques learnt in art class, the pots were truly beautiful!
On the 22nd of September, the plants were put up for sale. The teachers did their part by making macrame plant hangers to sell along with the plants. The response was overwhelming! It seemed that the parents wanted to teach an important value to their children – generosity. Our little ones’ faces lit up as they collected the money from their parents and dropped it into the donation box. Despite parents’ willingness to buy more pots, there was only one available for each child.
We raised $985 from the generous contributions of parents alone! With the donation from school and staff, the amount of money raised increased to $1850. We were pleasantly surprised at what we could achieve with such a small initiative! As an educator of young minds, it was a wake-up call for me as well. With our community of parents, I realised the heights of what we could achieve as a school. Sometimes, we get too tangled up in the constant thoughts of our students, forgetting about parents although they are a valued part of our journey with their kids. This project gave me a deeper insight into the importance of parental involvement in programmes conducted at schools.
A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OUR PARTNERS!
