$5,000 Granted to Elementary School for Reading Garden

Young scholars at can start getting excited for a future "reading garden" as part of the school's "Going Green" initiative.

The idea to create a beautification project occurred when the school had an old storage trailer recently removed from the side of the building, according to John Trezise, school principal.

Trezise stumbled upon Lowe's Toolbox for Education grant program online, who then forwarded the information to the school's Green Team.

"The team thought a beautification project would be needed for the area so I forwarded the grant  information to one of the Green Team members," said Trezise.

With the collaboration of the school's Green Team, led by Linda Peoples, Trezise and the school's Parent Teacher Organization, the school was able to set forth in creating a "stimulating classroom."

It was Larysa Dragonetti, a music teacher at Worrall and a member on the school's Green Team, who really got the ball rolling with the grant. The grant is offered only twice per year and only 1,500 applications are accepted per year.

Lowe's Toolbox for Education program promises to donate $5 million to public schools as well as school parent-teacher groups. Worrall was just one of the approximate 1,000 different public schools in the nation to receive the grant.

"We are fortunate to have good leadership and teachers and parents who strive to create an ideal learning environment for our students," said Dragonetti about successfully receiving the grant. "Worrall is not just a superior school in terms of education but also a caring community."

Although the grant has been awarded, Dragonetti said there is still much work to be done for the potential reading garden at the school.

"The money has been awarded, but now there is a great deal of work to be done," said Dragonetti. "We are currently forming a committee."

According to Dragonetti, the school is looking to break ground for the reading garden in early spring.

Lowe's Toolbox for Education states on their Web site states that there is a preference for funding requests that have a permanent impact such as facility enhancement (both indoor and outdoor) as well as landscaping/clean up type projects.