8th Grade Celebration, Wetherbee School, Lawrence

Finishing a pre-Covid project that now means more than ever

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Hello!

We are 3 eighth graders who attend the Emily G. Wetherbee School in Lawrence, Massachusetts. We thought of this idea back in January and applied to Aaron's Presents to help us make it come true. We wanted to give our graduating class hoodies so we'd have something to remember our middle school years by.


Unfortunately, our class has to remember their last year of middle school without a promotion ceremony or fun field trips, because we are quarantined and can't go back to school. Most of us and our classmates have been going to the Wetherbee since kindergarten and have always imagined what it would be like to stand on that stage and earn that certificate. We think making these sweaters will bring smiles to our eighth grade class so they can remember all the memories they have made at this school.


Our original plan had been to do a few fundraisers this spring and sell the sweaters for $10 each and make sure that every student got one even if they couldn't afford it. But now we can't do those fundraisers, so we are setting up this page online to share with everyone we know. We were able to buy 100 sweaters at a discount for a total cost of $1800. Aaron's Presents can contribute $500, and the school can give $300, so if we can raise the $1000 left, we will be able to accomplish our new goal, which is to deliver a sweater to each student at their homes (with Aaron's Presents help delivering)!


Since we'll never be all together again in person as a class, at least we can all wear the sweaters and whenever we see one, we'll feel connected forever.

Thank you,

Kiaralis, Naysha and Adrianny


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Thank you for considering giving a few dollars to this project, which we know is not an urgent or critical need in any way. This 8th grade class is very special and has hearts of gold--60 of the 80 students chose to participate in Aaron's Presents this year, and they completed an amazing 37 projects (see photos below) from October to March 12, the day before the last day of school when they threw a party for the custodians and lunch staff. Every Thursday during our lunch meetings, they would be begging us to do projects that weekend. By supporting this one last bonding idea, you are also celebrating all of the compassion they have shown bringing meals, supplies, and kindness to homeless adults and families, elderly residents at nursing homes, foster children, younger kids, parents and staff at their school, and other members of the community! You are giving them a constant reminder of what they are capable of.


As their Mentor, I would personally love to see this project happen. It would be a joyful end to a year that has become enormously challenging and tragic for many of their families and their city at large, which has over 2,200 cases and has lost almost 100 members of its community. They appreciate and miss each other more than they would have thought possible.


Thank you!
Leah Okimoto, Founder & Executive Director, Aaron's Presents

[email protected] | (978) 809-5487 | www.aaronspresents.org

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