Wanamaker students and their families raised $1100 with their Stuco-sponsored Bucks 4 Books campaign that ran in conjunction with the annual Book Fair this past February. For 2 weeks students generously brought pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and dollar bills to school for this fundraiser. A portion of the money raised stayed in our own school, while the rest of it is being donated to Angel House Children's Home located in Tanzania, a country in East Africa.

Wanamaker 4th, 5th, and 6th graders became acquainted with Angel House Children's Home when Emmanuel Pius, a native African, an interpreter at Angel House, and a current medical student in Tanzania, visited them the last 2 years. Emmanual was introduced to WE by Janelle Wilke, a former WE interventionist and Angel House sponsorship coordinator.

In his presentation Emmanuel gave our students a unique look at parts of the African culture and educational system. Education is not free in Africa the same way that it is in America. Much perseverance and determination is needed to obtain an education in Africa.

Emmanuel's presentation included pictures of the kindergarten and secondary schools at Angel House Children's Home. Our funds will go towards starting to build a library for the students. Emmanuel, Mrs. Wilke, and the Angel House students expressed immense gratitude with the following Thank You note addressed to our school community.

Dear Students and Families, Teachers, and Staff of Wanamaker Elementary,

Wow! We are beyond grateful and truly amazed by your generosity and kindness. Thank you so much for raising over $1,000 to help start a new library for Angel House Elementary School! Your hard work, big hearts, and belief in the power of books and education will make a huge difference for so many children.

Because of you, students at Angel House will have access to books that will inspire their imaginations, fuel their dreams, and help them learn about the world-- just like you do at your own school. You are not just giving books; you are giving hope, knowledge, and a brighter future.

A special thank you to Ms. Alice Reinert for leading this effort and for allowing us to share with you all. Meeting you was such a joy, and we hope you know how much your kindness means.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you, Wanamaker Elementary! You are world-changers, and we can't wait to share with you the impact your generosity will have.

With gratitude,
Mrs. Wilke & Emmanual
Angel House Children's Home and School

Thanks to these two wonderful people!

We couldn't be prouder of these Student Council members who represented Wanamaker Elementary today at Rolling Hills Retirement Center. After the brief initial period of shyness, the students were all in-- helping the residents decorate their little flower pots for their Earth Day flowers, visiting, playing cards, reading books, and coloring together. Both generations benefitted from the connections made and compassion shown in that room. It was the perfect way to celebrate Earth Day!
A special shout-out to our volunteer parents who transported our students to Rolling Hills and also participated in the activities!

Friday's Manager's Choice is Crispito

April is National School Library Month! Read all about what's been happening in the WE Library! March Book Madness, Book Club field trip, Library Leaders, mustaches...and more!

There will not be a bake sale tomorrow as we have already sold out of all items! Thank you to the WE community for the support!

The votes were tallied, and as predicted, it was extremely close! Forty-nine students and their families outdid themselves by submitting entries in the Pringle Can Book Character contest sponsored by the WE Library! So. Much. Creativity. And hopefully, bonding by families over books! Thank you to all the students who participated in this fun activity!

Please read the attached message regarding the Wanamaker Food Pantry