Fields of Green students pay it forward
VERNON — The kids at Fields of Green Montessori School are busy paying it forward this year.
Chosen by their director, Debra Smorto, “Pay it Forward” is the theme for this school year. Both kids and parents are working hard at finding ways to pay it forward to the environment, animals and people.
A famous author, Catherine Ryan Hyde, released a youth version to her original book entitled “Pay it Forward” in August of 2014. While already planning her curriculum from this theme, Smorto was thrilled to receive an email announcing the youth version of the book. The two situations merged into a year-long study of the biomes of the Earth, using the pay it forward concept woven into their studies. At the end of each biome studied, students find ways to pay it forward by adopting endangered animals in some biomes, picking up garbage in others, or donating to certain organizations as a way of helping.
Smorto challenged each family in her school this year with three goals: to pay it forward to an animal, a human and an environmental organization of their choice.
Fourth-grader Cole Vaughn, who recently asked for donations in lieu of birthday presents to give to an organization that helps bring water to people who don’t have any.
The elementary students read the youth version this year and at the end of the story, Ryan Hyde invited children to write to her and share what they think the ending of the book should be since she leaves it open to one’s imagination at the end. Smorto took this invitation as an idea to have her students write final chapters of the book written from their own imaginations and send them to the author.
The students also have watched the movie of the same name that was released in 2000 that starred Helen Hunt and Kevin Spacey, and have compared and contrasted the differences between the adult book version (read by Smorto), the movie and the youth version.
Hyde has been corresponding to Smorto via email and recently wrote an email to the students thanking them for sending her their final chapters.
“I mentioned in my author's note that readers could contact me and tell me how the story ended for them, but I never imagined a class would actually write the continued story," she said. "Readers always get to hear stories I make up, but I almost never get to hear stories you make up. You are the first to ever do that for me!”
The students were thrilled and honored to hear from such an accomplished author. The students also are members of “The Rumpus,” a club which sends them a letter from other authors once a week. The students reply with letters of their own and the authors often write personal letters back in turn with signed bookmarks, books, offers of skyping, etc.
“I am so proud to be a part of this incredible learning community where we are free to take a concept like a seed, grow it and make deep impacts on children and their families that will hopefully stay with them throughout their lives," Smorto said. "Hence our name, Fields of Green.”