Fourth and Fifth graders at DeWitt Elementary School, in Cuyahoga Falls, have a long standing tradition of leaving something at the school to remind future students of their legacy after they鈥檝e left for Middle School. Mrs. Short鈥檚 fifth grade class and Mrs. Suboticki鈥檚 fourth grade class last year created the Black Tiger Zen Den for future students to remember them by, and for their work, they are this weeks A+ Award winners!
Mrs. Short told us that the Zen Den didn鈥檛 happen overnight. It took a few years for the idea to grow. 鈥淎 few years ago, the fourth and fifth graders were inspired by the High School鈥檚 Urban Agriculture class and the garden they made at the High School. They wanted to do something like that here, so we started to clean up our courtyard.鈥�
She explained that over the next few years, each group of fourth and fifth graders made the courtyard better and better. 鈥淲e really liked that we had a place to go outside to have class.鈥�
Last year the courtyard was even more important to the students at DeWitt because so many classes went outside when the weather was nice so that they could be socially distant. This got last year鈥檚 fourth and fifth graders thinking and dreaming big about how they could help their classmates and their community.
鈥淭he students wanted to take it a few steps further and create a calming space that people could use during the day鈥� Mrs. Short explained. With help from the GAR Foundation and Suncrest Gardens, the fourth and fifth graders came up with the idea for the Black Tiger Zen Den. The Zen Den is open to the entire community. The local YMCA is also planning on holding yoga classes there!
This week鈥檚 NewsDepth A+ Award goes to the DeWitt Elementary School Class of 2021, for creating a calming space for their fellow students and community. Keep up the great work!
Submit your ideas for our NewsDepth A+ segment to newsdepth@ideastream.org for consideration.
