Love is in the mountain air. It\u2019s Valentine\u2019s Day, and what better way to celebrate than to spread love all over town? Frisco Elementary students decided to spend part of their day doing just that, going out and showering their community with love and kindness, especially toward those in Summit County who may be alone and far from affection.<\/p>\n
Every class, from kindergarten to fifth grade, agreed to forgo their traditional in-class Valentine\u2019s Day parties and came up with their own project to bring love to their community. Each class went out into town on mini field trips, braving the slush and cold to deliver joy to all two- and four-legged Frisco residents they met.<\/p>\n
The kindergarteners decided to show their love for Frisco by marching down to the intersection of Main Street and Summit Boulevard, climbing up snow banks higher than their heads and waving heart-shaped signs at traffic, encouraging motorists to \u201cHonk for Love.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a school we were just trying to spread love and kindness in the community,\u201d said kindergarten teacher Jenny Wischmeyer. \u201cI thought about all the attention that people with political signs get, and thought it would be really great and easy for kindergartners to spread some love. I thought this would be an easy way to get people to smile today.\u201d<\/p>\n
The first-graders spent the morning making cards for firefighters at the fire station just down the street from Frisco Elementary before walking down to deliver the cards and treats, including cookies and chocolate-covered pretzels.<\/p>\n
Their teacher, Allison Ryan, said the class also talked about how much their community gave to them and why Valentine\u2019s Day was special.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were having a conversation about what Valentine\u2019s Day truly meant to us,\u201d Ryan said. \u201cWe decided Valentine\u2019s Day is all about showing kindness and compassion, and showing your love for other people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ryan said the elementary students, guided by teachers, decided that going out into the community and personally showing their appreciation would be a great gesture. Ryan\u2019s first-graders chose the fire station down the street as their love beneficiaries.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey do safety events with us, and they help us with our fire drills, so we thought it\u2019d be a nice way to brighten up their day,\u201d Ryan said.<\/p>\n
The older kids, the fifth-graders, also made cards and visited St. Anthony Summit Medical Center to give patients who were unable to spend time with loved ones some company and compassion. Third- and fourth-graders went out to Walter Byron Park and other places around town, setting up stations and giving out coffee to passersby.<\/p>\n
But humans weren\u2019t the only ones to receive love and kindness today. The second-grade class, led by teacher Heidi Sodetz, visited Summit County\u2019s animal shelter to drop off cat and dog treats. Sodetz said that the students made the dog treats themselves, looking up a recipe and mixing up batter with the right ingredients, then cutting them up into shapes like paws, bones and hearts and baking them.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe wanted to spread kindness in our community rather than thinking about ourselves,\u201d Sodetz said. \u201cWe chose the animal shelter because they come to our class to do a 10-week humane education program, to teach kids about proper care of animals, and we appreciate them tremendously.\u201d<\/p>\n
As with many things in life, Frisco Elementary showed on Valentine\u2019s Day how much wisdom kids can impart on adults, especially when it comes to love.<\/p>\n