Plant Project Blossoms for Aldrich Students

What started out as a lesson about pollinators for Desiree Capriotti's first grade class has become a project that will benefit students at for years to come.

Thanks to the help of the local store the young students have worked to improve one of the school's courtyards while also learning about nature and hard work. Having built birdhouses and had a garden built Capriotti said they were able to bring their lessons to life. "It completely lines up with our science curriculum with pollination and pollinators and how it works with our ecosystem," she said. 

Even though her students are among the youngest at the school Capriotti said she knew they could succeed in reaching their goals. "I thought it would be really great knowing that we were very young but it was still very cool," she said. 

Working with Kim Vignola, the manager of the local Home Depot the two found ways to make the project manageable for the first graders. With their help and assistance from Aldirch Principal Drew Smith the bird houses the students built and painted were hung at the school on Tuesday. 

Getting the chance to not only learn about science but build the projects with their own two hands was a new experience for many of the students. "It was the first time that any of us at seven years old had ever been able to do that," Caprotti said. "Home Depot was wonderful and they showed them how to use the tools."

Vignola said her team has enjoyed working with the students on this project. "Home Depot really believes in community service and giving back so every store reaches out to their community," she said. "We put up a sign to volunteer and it's amazing how many people want to give their time. It's a great effort everyone feels good about doing and giving back to the community that they live in."

As she looked at the work being done Capriotti was impressed by the finished product. "This little seedling of we're going to plant a seed and watch a plant grow grew to this entire community project where we went from seeds to plants to pollinators to wood working to what happens in a bird house once we hang it outside."

Tuesday's work was just another step in the process of finishing the product but it was clear that the students were excited to see what spring will bring as they watch their work bloom.