A Right Fit

Brookstone Supporters Trent Andrews and Samuel Snapp, members of Matthews Orthodox Presbyterian Church, reached beyond traditional fundraisers to meet the needs of students in a unique way. 

After seeing young students at their church wearing ties too big, they organized a tie and belt drive to provide these items to our students.  On October 8th they delivered 21 youth-sized ties and 20 belts to the school. Trent and Samuel are currently organizing a Book Drive to provide teachers' classrooms and the school library with books they want the students to read. We are so thankful for these supporters and look forward to the Book Drive in November! 

Planting One Seed At a Time

Salsa created big smiles for Brookstone students on September 24. Our friends from St. Patrick Catholic School came to teach our 2nd and 3rd grade students about vegetables and health through Scissor Salsa. 

"I can't wait until we make spicy sauce with garlic in it because I'm going to be the happiest boy in the world,"said third grader Ramierre.

Starting in the garden, students and volunteers picked tomatoes, basil and green onions for the salsa. Elizabeth Stamas, our Brookstone garden committee co-chair, then gave a small nutrition lesson about the importance of vegetables in our daily diet. Afterwards, students cut the vegetables with scissors into their bowls and squeezed some lime. The volunteers added some peppers and garlic and the students mixed it all together to make salsa! They were provided tortilla chips to go with the salsa, making a healthy snack for the children.

 

The garden was also uprooted, cleaned out and replanted by the students for the winter crop on Friday, October 12. Children and volunteers planted many vegetables including: lettuce, radish, collards, mustard and specialty greens, carrots, dwarf grey sugar peas, swiss chard, spinach, cabbage, beets, broccoli, brussel spouts, shallots, yellow onions and elephant garlic.

Stundents are excited to see the harvest in the months to come, but are most excited about the sweet potatoes they also planted. Students in 2nd grade will dig up their sweet potatoes on harvest day on October 29. These will be used in a school-wide Sweet Potato Pancake Breakfast held in the cafeteria on November 20. The pancakes will be made by our garden committee members and Johnson and Wales University chef Megan Lambert.

We are so excited show off our garden in these upcoming events! 

Family of Musicians Inspire Our Students

Minds on Music brought the Smoak family, Brookstone partners, to our cafeteria to play the violin for our students on Thursday, October 11. Two of the Smoak children, Caroline, 9, and William, 7, take violin lessons not only to learn and enjoy, but also to give back to others through their music. 

Caroline and William played a variety of songs from "Happy Birthday" to classical pieces, accompanied by their mom, Beth. After they performed, Brookstone students asked questions about the violins, how they practiced, how they played and about the different sounds the strings make. It was a great opportunity for our students to identify with these young musicians. 

 

We are so appreciative that the Smoaks shared their gifts and talents with us!

Music Through the Halls

Classical music benefits children in wonderful ways. Music helps children to make better grades and think more creatively. Children have a chance to develop musical skills, discipline and self-esteem. Students learn the value of excellence while they explore creativity and expression through music making.

We are excited to announce that our students are enjoying Minds on Music, a unique music education program which features a new composer each month.  Every morning when students arrive at school, classical music rings through the halls. This month our featured composer is Beethoven, and the children are enjoying learning about his music and life.

Our Suziki Violin Program is off to a good start. Violin teacher, Jessica Ker, is teaching lessons before school on Mondays and Wednesdays to a group of enthusiastic kindergarten and first grade students. We are excited to see the Lord bless these children through music. 

 

Help Needed!  Brookstone's children are in need of violins and funding for the program. If you have any small violins (sizes: 1/10 through 1/4) or would like to donate to provide violins, our students would be greatly blessed. To get involved and offer these students an opportunity in classical music please contact Nancy at nancy.turbeville@brookstoneschools.org.