North Glendale 'Big Idea' Leads to Big Check for St. Louis Children’s Hospital

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Three students presented to their peers a “Big Idea” on a school wide service-learning project where students make a hospital feel more like a home for the children who are unable to leave the hospital due to illness.

Out of the presentations and brainstorming sessions, students developed a project called “North Glendale Superstars: Making a Hospital Feel Like a Home.”  The project involved students earning money to donate and contribute toward a donation to St. Louis Children’s Hospital where funds would be used to purchase video games, books, DVDs and stuffed animals to provide the comforts of home during their hospital stay.

The students brought in their earnings the week of Jan. 23-Jan. 27. A $500 collection goal was established and was shattered the first day. By the end of the week, students collected $2,381.23 and the students presented the check to a St. Louis Children’s Hospital representative at a check presentation ceremony Tuesday.

Students earned money different ways including hot chocolate stands and selling newsletters while other students took a direct donation approach and tapped into piggy banks and saved birthday money funds to contribute to the fundraising.  

The North Glendale effort was spearheaded by fifth-graders Meredith Lang, Jerry Sanchez and Lizzie Stobbe with support from teachers Amy Potsou and Elizabeth Stickley. The group attended The Big Return conference in November and came up with project ideas on how the school could participate.

The Big Return is a campaign created by the St. Louis community to leverage the power of local youth to create big change in the world. During the conference, more than 100 St. Louis area schools came together for the full-day workshop to think creatively about social enterprises or projects that could be launched to address problems students see around them.

As a result of the school’s fundraising goals, students will be treated to a “teacher scramble” later this semester where teachers will be guest teachers in each other’s classroom.

Students and staff also enjoyed a “PJ Day” where everyone wore their pajamas to school. The students picked pajamas because “pjs” make people feel comfortable which is exactly what the students wanted to provide the kids in the hospital: comfort.