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Webb Elementary students describe fundraisers, clubs and campus projects to school board
Summary
Students from Webb Elementary told the Wethersfield Board of Education about student-initiated clubs and fundraisers — from Tiger Club tiger adoptions to a cleanup crew and upgraded basketball hoops — and said the projects taught leadership and community service.
Webb Elementary students presented to the Wethersfield Board of Education on Jan. 28, 2025, describing student-initiated clubs and fundraisers that raised money for wildlife conservation, disaster relief and local animal shelters.
The presentations, given by representatives of several student groups, highlighted that the projects were started and run by students with teacher support. "Every project that you're gonna hear about was 100% student initiated," Webb staff member Ken Craig told the board before the students spoke.
The students described projects including the Tiger Club, which raised $300 and "adopted five tigers" through World Wildlife Fund; a Red Cross fundraiser that raised $505; a pajama-and-stuffed-animal fundraiser that generated $361.47 for the Connecticut Humane Society; a teacher-appreciation club that makes gifts for staff; a cleanup crew that organizes trash-collection competitions; and a student-led effort to replace worn basketball hoops.
Sienna Vitiliano, who introduced the Tiger Club, said the group researched ways to support tigers and ran a plant sale to raise funds. "When you bring people together for a cause, you can create real change," she told the board. Veronica and Jenna Parlante described their pajama-day fundraiser and said the money will help pay for supplies and medical care for animals at a nearby shelter.
Board members praised the students’ leadership and public-speaking efforts during the public-recognition portion of the meeting. Chairperson Bobby Hughes Granado and several trustees commented on the students’ courage in speaking publicly and on the value of experiential learning.
The school’s principal and board members noted that these student projects represent broader participation at Webb: the board was told that the students who spoke were chosen as representatives of roughly one-fifth of the children engaged in such projects.
The presentations preceded a lengthy board agenda that included curriculum proposals, facility planning and other items.
For the board: the student presentations were recorded on the meeting agenda and will be available as part of the district’s public minutes.
