Brookside students collect toys, run ‘brew crew’ small business in community outreach

Brookside Elementary students and staff showed the Yorktown Central School District Board of Education on Jan. 13 how small, school-based projects can support the wider community.

The presentation highlighted a holiday toy drive that collected more than 600 toys and books for Saint Mary’s food pantry; repeated visits and performances for residents at the Country House assisted‑living facility; and a student-run enterprise called the “brew crew,” where students take orders, handle transactions and make deliveries inside the school.

Principal Casarini said the school prioritizes connections with “community agencies, facilities, town events” to enhance student learning and build long‑term relationships. Students who spoke at the meeting said the toy drive and visits were meaningful: “This holiday season was an important time to reflect upon all that we are thankful for,” one student said during the presentation.

The board and superintendent praised the students’ confidence and the program’s emphasis on empathy and responsibility. Dr. Hatter, superintendent, told the room he was “really moved, really inspired” by the Brookside presentation and later said of the students: “You had a group of students, grade school students, come up, speak confidently, read confidently in front of a room full of adults, and they did so brilliantly.” Board members including Catalina, Pete, Lisa, Rashmi, Mike, Kathleen and others also expressed thanks and congratulated staff and students for the projects.

Brookside teachers described the brew crew as a hands‑on learning opportunity that taught financial transactions, customer service and teamwork. School staff said the brew crew’s small acts—such as one teacher anonymously buying a cup for a colleague—spawned a “pay it forward” movement that reached roughly a quarter of the building.

The presentation included photos and a short video of students describing the steps they follow in the brew crew and the visits to the Country House. Board members singled out staff members who run the programs and noted that they create opportunities for students across grade levels.

The board recessed for five minutes after the presentation to allow families and younger attendees to leave if they had bedtime routines. The meeting proceeded afterward to the district’s budget presentation and other business.