It was a children’s paradise Friday at Stewart Elementary School in Lower Burrell.
You name it, the roughly 260 fourth and fifth grade students had it — from fidget toys, stickers and drawings to bracelets and keychains.
As in the past five years, students created or brought in items to sell to each other during a holiday market on the last day before the district’s holiday break.
They call the day “Kids for Kids” because the money they make doesn’t end up in their own pockets.
“All of the money they raise today by selling these things to each other goes to Children’s Hospital,” Principal Autumn Turk said.
In the five years Stewart has held the event, students have donated about $15,500 to the UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, physical education teacher Justin Miller said.
This year’s event raised $4,027 — the highest total yet.
“They looked at, how can we turn around the receiving end to the giving end?” Miller said. “We wanted the kids to take ownership. We facilitate it — to the student council, to the kids selling, to the talent show.
“It’s all kid-driven.”
An array of creativity
Kids for Kids is in lieu of a traditional, homeroom-style Christmas party. In addition to the market, physical education teacher Rich Thome served hot chocolate outside, and the kids participated in a dodgeball game and talent show in the afternoon.
Students showed off their creative sides with what they chose to sell.
Friends Ethan Knepshield, 9, and Finley Brandon, 10, created the “Keychain Kingdom.”
Their desks boasted a display of paracord keychains made by Finley, and Lego keychains created by Ethan. Some of the Lego keychains had Burrell Bucs stickers on them.
“I already knew how to make them, and I thought, it would be a good idea, right?” she said.
Finley said she learned how to make the paracord keychains through watching a YouTube video. They’re not hard to put together once you learn the process, she said.
Ethan and Finley said they appreciated that the money they raised would be donated to Children’s Hospital.
“I like to care for other people,” Ethan said.
Merilee Maskas, 11, used seashells collected from a Myrtle Beach trip this summer to craft a trendy hair clip to sell to her peers.
“It’s a hair clip you put in your hair,” she said. “We put a seashell on it to be a beach hair clip.”
With friends Gwenyth Remaley, 10, and Rylee Horwatt, 11, she went to work selling things like stickers, key chains and bracelets.
Merilee said she enjoyed seeing all of her classmates and “what they prefer.”
Friends Owen Townsend, 9, and Hunter Westerburg, 10, created snowflakes, Christmas trees and gingerbread men from 3D printers. Both boys have the printers at home, and some of the snowflakes were created by their STEAM teacher, April Sites.
“They print stuff for their friends all the time, so they figured, let’s do it for charity,” said Owen’s mother, Stacy Townsend.
They said 3D printing is fun.
“You slice it and then, it’s on,” Hunter said.
Added Owen: “It takes about an hour to print.”
In their free time, they’ve created turtles, snakes and dragons from their 3D printers.
“I love how he gets so excited,” Townsend said.
The future
As part of the activities, teachers participate in their own silent auction, Miller said, where they showcase some of their hidden talents. Thome, for example, carves wooden Christmas tree ornaments. Sites crocheted all summer and sold her creations during the market.
This year, that raised about $400 toward the cause, he said.
With Stewart closing next year, Miller hopes to continue Kids for Kids in some way at all district buildings.
“The goal is to make it districtwide, where every building can do their own thing, but have a common goal,” he said. “We definitely want this to continue moving forward. Seeing the kids take ownership and the joy it brings, they’re so proud of what they bring to the table.
“Some of these things the kids are selling are incredible. Watching them is rewarding.”