What started as a dream turned into a life-changing experience for two students at New Garden Elementary School.

Fifth grade students and best friends, Brandt Berger and Charlie Westphal have always known they wanted to make a difference and help others. So when they began talking about what they could do, Brandt and Charlie decided to call upon their school and classmates to join together and change the world.

Together, Charlie and Brandt developed the Sunglasses Fundraiser, a two-week event that invited students to donate money to a homeless shelter. As a reward, students who donated were allowed to wear their craziest sunglasses to school the next day.

“We just wanted to help people,” Brandt says. “Helping people is one of the greatest things we can do.”

Brandt is right—one the most valuable lessons children can learn is the importance of helping others who are less fortunate. At New Garden Elementary School, this value is taught every day. From schoolwide fundraisers to inspirational morning announcements, the New Garden Elementary School staff and Principal Mrs. Susan McArdle are dedicated to creating an environment that encourages students to be the best that they can be.

“Brandt and Charlie are inspirational young men,” says Mrs. McArdle. “When they reached out to me and explained that they wanted to organize a schoolwide fundraiser to help others, I was honored. I sat down with them and gave them the framework of how a fundraiser works, and they were off!”

With the help of their classmates, Charlie and Brandt raised $289.34 to be donated to His Mission Inc., a homeless shelter located in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.

Charlie and Brandt’s service project is now inspiring other students to help the less fortunate. Two students, who were inspired by Charlie and Brandt’s Sunglasses Fundraiser, are now organizing New Garden Elementary School’s next service project, happening this January.

Four fourth grade students, Sara Frey, Maggie Schultz, Tess Nicalos and Ellie Carter-Soriano, decided to organize a fundraiser called Crazy Holiday Day. Students were encouraged to wear their craziest holiday attire and donate a dollar to the Kennett Food Cupboard. Their efforts paid off; the students raised $684.30. Amazing! “We never expected to raise this much money,” said one student! The students said that they really enjoyed organizing this event and helping others.

Students celebrated “Crazy Holiday” day and helped to raise almost $700 for the Kennett Homeless Shelter.

Students celebrated “Crazy Holiday” day and helped to raise almost $700 for the Kennett Homeless Shelter.

Students celebrated “Crazy Holiday” day and helped to raise almost $700 for the Kennett Homeless Shelter.

Students celebrated “Crazy Holiday” day and helped to raise almost $700 for the Kennett Homeless Shelter.

Students celebrated “Crazy Holiday” day and helped to raise almost $700 for the Kennett Homeless Shelter.

Students celebrated “Crazy Holiday” day and helped to raise almost $700 for the Kennett Homeless Shelter.

Students celebrated “Crazy Holiday” day and helped to raise almost $700 for the Kennett Homeless Shelter.

Students celebrated “Crazy Holiday” day and helped to raise almost $700 for the Kennett Homeless Shelter.

Students celebrated “Crazy Holiday” day and helped to raise almost $700 for the Kennett Homeless Shelter.

Students celebrated “Crazy Holiday” day and helped to raise almost $700 for the Kennett Homeless Shelter.

Students celebrated “Crazy Holiday” day and helped to raise almost $700 for the Kennett Homeless Shelter.

Students celebrated “Crazy Holiday” day and helped to raise almost $700 for the Kennett Homeless Shelter.

Students celebrated “Crazy Holiday” day and helped to raise almost $700 for the Kennett Homeless Shelter.

Students celebrated “Crazy Holiday” day and helped to raise almost $700 for the Kennett Homeless Shelter.

Students celebrated “Crazy Holiday” day and helped to raise almost $700 for the Kennett Homeless Shelter.

Students celebrated “Crazy Holiday” day and helped to raise almost $700 for the Kennett Homeless Shelter.

Students celebrated “Crazy Holiday” day and helped to raise almost $700 for the Kennett Homeless Shelter.

Students celebrated “Crazy Holiday” day and helped to raise almost $700 for the Kennett Homeless Shelter.

Students celebrated “Crazy Holiday” day and helped to raise almost $700 for the Kennett Homeless Shelter.

Students celebrated “Crazy Holiday” day and helped to raise almost $700 for the Kennett Homeless Shelter.

Students celebrated “Crazy Holiday” day and helped to raise almost $700 for the Kennett Homeless Shelter.

Students celebrated “Crazy Holiday” day and helped to raise almost $700 for the Kennett Homeless Shelter.

Students celebrated “Crazy Holiday” day and helped to raise almost $700 for the Kennett Homeless Shelter.

Students celebrated “Crazy Holiday” day and helped to raise almost $700 for the Kennett Homeless Shelter.

First grade students celebrated the beginning of Fall with New Garden Elementary School’s annual Scarecrow Day. Students were invited to dress-up like scarecrows for a festive and fun-filled school day.

Throughout the day, first grade teachers Mrs. Kristen Selover, Mrs. Kimberly Hall, Mrs. Melissa Ricketts, Mrs. Lisa McCoy, and Ms. Tessa Pulli hosted Fall-themed activities for students to participate in as they traveled to different classrooms.

Mrs. Selover read aloud a Fall favorite, The Little Scarecrow Boy, and discussed character traits with the visiting students.

Mrs. Hall conducted an exciting science experiment to predict what would happen when baking soda and vinegar were mixed inside of a pumpkin.

Students who visited Mrs. Ricketts’ room learned all about bats as they researched the interesting mammals.

Mrs. McCoy read aloud The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything and invited students to join her in a discussion about the sequence of the story.

Ms. Pulli invited students to create shape monsters as a shape exploration activity.

It is safe to say that overall it was a great day!

Two industrious fifth grade students decided they wanted to do something to help the community. After consulting with the principal and their teachers, the students decided to plan a fundraiser to help support the Kennett Homeless Shelter. The end result was “Crazy Cool Sunglasses Day.” Students were allowed to wear their craziest sunglasses to school. It was a fun-filled day. This fundraiser raised almost $300.00 for the Kennett Homeless Shelter.

Miss Smith’s 3rd grade class on “Crazy Cool Sunglasses Day!”

Mrs. Yocum’s 2nd grade class on “Crazy Cool Sunglasses Day!”

New Garden students celebrate “Crazy Cool Sunglasses Day!”

This 2nd grader looked fabulous for “Crazy Cool Sunglasses Day!”

Mr. Hess has to be the coolest 2nd grade teacher ever. He wore some stylish shades for “Crazy Cool Sunglasses Day!”

Brandt Berger and Charlie Westphal were the brains behind “Crazy Cool Sunglasses Day!” They organized and planned the whole event to benefit the Kennett Homeless Shelter.

These 2nd graders were all decked out in the crazy shades for “Crazy Cool Sunglasses Day!”

New Garden Elementary School’s second grade students recently enjoyed a trip to Winterthur Museum. They learned many interesting things as you can see from the slideshow below.

This student from Mrs. Sellers’ class is starting a fire with rock and a striker.

Mrs. Metz’s students are using a kick toaster at Winterthur.

Mrs. Sellers’ group learned how to use wool cards to straighten wool for spinning.

This is the Please Touch room at Winterthur. They used sugar nippers to cut sugar.