Big Hearts, Little Hands

Big Hearts Little Hands is a wonderful, PTO-sponsored service project/event put on by all the students of Willard school. It is a great opportunity to teach our students about the gift of service, and for them to connect with the older generation of our community. The students are the hosts, and our guests are senior citizens of the community, including senior relatives, friends, and neighbors of students, and also residents of area nursing homes (some homes even sent a bus). Invite your senior neighbors to this event. Read more from the 2023 event in the Wednesday Journal.

We endeavor to have every student involved in some manner with different roles according to grade level — some directly interact with our senior guests, and others work “behind the scenes.”

• First and fourth graders provide the choral music.

• Pre-kindergarteners and kindergarteners decorate the stage.

• Second graders decorate thank you notes for sweet-treat favors, which are put together with donations from local vendors.

• Third graders play a prominent role, working in “shifts” as greeters, door holders, servers (assisted by parent volunteers), passing out favors and flowers, and helping our guests at the coat racks.

After the concert, guests are directed to the gymnasium (you wouldn’t recognize it!) where they are seated and served hot tea, coffee, and a spread of delicious baked goods, baked by parent volunteers and donated by area bakeries. At the conclusion of the event, each guest is given a fresh carnation and a favor by one of our third-grade students as they exit the gym.