The kindergarten students at Hart Elementary recently hosted a Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser on May 26th to help buy books for needy schoolchildren in Jamaica. Each grade level at Hart Elementary picked a Capstone project that would serve as a learning tool across all curriculums. Service to the community is a big part of Lovejoy ISD and the kindergarten teachers thought this project would be a great way to teach their students about the importance of giving to others. The kindergartners were excited from the beginning and set to work to prepare for the big event! They spent the next month learning about the needs of Jamaican schools, creating ads on the computer for the event, making tickets, selling tickets to their family and friends, counting money and practicing their jobs for the event. The kindergartners hosted every aspect of the event by greeting guests, selling tickets at the door, taking tickets, bringing guests to their tables, serving food and cleaning tables. The students were excited to serve pancakes to their family and friends along with Lovejoy ISD Superintendent Ted Moore.

Smiles were seen all around the Hart Cafeteria that day as the children performed all of their duties with pride. By the end of the event, more than $1000 was raised to purchase books for schools in Jamaica. The money will be donated through "Teach With Jamaica". "Teach With Jamaica" is an organization made up of local teachers who travel to Jamaica to collaborate with Jamaican educators and empower them with additional teaching strategies and resources to use with their students . To find out more about the great work they do, please visit their website at: www.teachwithjamaica.org. A special thanks goes to the following community members that volunteered to help cook pancakes: Lovejoy School Board Members, Rich Hickman, Lynette MacDonald and Chad Collins, Former Lovejoy School Board Member, John Walsh, Hart Principal, Kathy Foster and Hart Parent, Tien Nguyen. Thank you to IHOP in Allen for donating the pancake batter for the event.

Submitted by Laura Nguyen, Hart Kindergarten Teacher