WES Holds Its First Virtual First Friday
The concept of giving back is integral to WES’s identity and has been since a group of teachers founded the school in a church basement 34 years ago. Last year we began a new tradition to bring the WES Family together through service: First Friday. Our students gather during the First Friday of every month to participate in activities that benefit others.
We will celebrate First Friday in a new way this month. Teachers and faculty will lead several activities (some live and some recorded) on Friday, May 1, to bring our community together in a spirit of giving and giving back. Sign-ups are required for some activities—there’s something for everyone! Take a photo of your student making or mailing notes, etc. so we can include them in a future slideshow—email to wesley@w-e-s.org. If you have any questions or trouble with accessing live sessions, please contact Caitlin Lennon.
Live Activity Sessions:
1. Paper Flowers with Mrs. Borie
Grades 2-6
Friday, May 1, 2 p.m.
Show appreciation for essential workers who are serving their community during the pandemic. Join a Zoom session and make beautiful spring flowers for UPS, US Postal Service, FedEx, food delivery and grocery store staff, and more. Leave them at your front door, deliver, or mail them.
Sign up to attend HERE to attend this live Zoom session.
2. Healthcare Worker Appreciation with Mr. Vogelman and Wesley
N-Grade 8
Friday, May 1, 2 p.m.
Write a note or draw a picture of appreciation for healthcare workers at Bethesda’s Suburban Hospital. Drop off your note or drawing in the box on the WES colonnade before 3 p.m. on Thursday, May 7 and we will deliver them to the hospital. Alternatively, you can mail your card to your local hospital or give it to your favorite healthcare worker.
Sign up HERE to attend this live Zoom session.
3. “Give a Hug” with Ms. Evans
N-Grade 2
Friday, May 1; 2–2:20 p.m.
Show your gratitude for essential workers who are serving their community so courageously during the pandemic. Students in N – Grade 2 are invited to make beautiful cards for UPS, US Postal Service, FedEx, food delivery and grocery store staff, a special friend or neighbor, etc. These can be left out at your front door, hand delivered, or mailed.
Sign up HERE to attend this live Google Meet session.
Activities to be accessed at any time:
4. Kindness Rocks! with Mrs. Davis
N-Grade 8
Learn how to make kindness rocks with art teacher Mrs. Davis and then spread your kindness throughout your neighborhood when you go outside for a walk or run. You can also simply share them with your family.
Materials needed: rocks, acrylic paint, and/or permanent oil-based markers
Optional material: a sealant for weather proofing, such as Mod Podge
Click HERE to access activity.
5. Peaceful Pen Pal Project with Ms. Phillips
K-Grade 8
Build friendships, brighten someone’s day, and spread the joy of receiving mail with Ms. Phillips. She will explain this project which is part of the Kids for Peace organization. Each letter submitted will be matched up with another child of the same age.
Materials needed: paper, pencil, markers, craft materials, envelope, postage stamp
Click HERE to access activity.
6. Big Hug Card Activity with Mrs. DeCrosta
N-Grade 8
Brighten someone’s day by sending them a Big Hug Card. Mrs. D will walk you through the steps of writing and assembling a Big Hug Card.
Materials needed: paper, markers, ribbon, scissors, hole punch
Click HERE to access activity.
7. Rainbows for Hope with Mrs. Miranda
N-Grade 8
Watch the It’s Not a Box video and be inspired to make your own unique work of art! This project combines recycling and crafting. Chose to make a rainbow like Mrs. Miranda or create your own design. Want to know more about why Mrs. Miranda chose to make a rainbow? Click the rainbow link below to find out!
Materials needed: paper, scissors, glue, light-weight cardboard boxes (cereal, snack, facial tissue, food, etc.)
Access the project video HERE.
Not a Box link HERE.
Rainbow link HERE.
8. The Literacy Lab
Grades 6-8 and Adults
The Literacy Lab, a non-profit organization, is building a tool for Kindergarten-aged kids to be able to work on their letter-sound correspondence skills (i.e., “this is an A, it makes an ‘ah’ sound”) at home. A component of the tool is the need to collect recordings of people correctly saying the letter sounds out loud. The Literacy Lab is designing an app to collect these audio recordings.
They are looking for Middle School or older volunteers to download the app and spend about 15 minutes recording 10 samples of each of the 26 letters. The technology is only Android compatible.
If you are interested in spending 15 minutes to help out, please contact Tom Dillon, Co-CEO of The Literacy Lab or sign up HERE. You will be contacted when the app has been designed.
Thank you for being KIND!