Big Rapids welcomed a new business to the community as Burlington celebrated the grand opening of its new Big Rapids store with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, and Brookside Elementary School had an extra reason to celebrate.
As part of the festivities, Burlington presented Brookside Elementary with a $5,000 donation through its partnership with AdoptAClassroom.org, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping teachers and students access classroom resources. Burlington's partnership with AdoptAClassroom.org provides schools and educators with resources that support student learning.
Brookside Principal Ken Ranjel, teacher Emily Westman, and Big Rapids Public Schools Superintendent Tim Haist were among those on hand for the celebration, along with a group of Brookside students who helped accept the oversized $5,000 check.
The students were understandably excited when they saw the check, although there may have been a little disappointment when they learned the $5,000 wasn't theirs to take inside Burlington for a shopping spree!
Fortunately, what the money will purchase may prove to be even more exciting.
Rather than dividing the donation among individual classrooms, Brookside has chosen to combine the funds for one larger purchase that will benefit students throughout the entire building. While we're not quite ready to reveal what that purchase will be, it promises to be an exciting addition to Brookside Elementary.
Since Burlington began partnering with AdoptAClassroom.org in 2017, the company has helped provide more than 1.5 million students with tools and supplies to support their learning.
Big Rapids Public Schools is grateful to welcome Burlington to the Big Rapids community and thankful for its investment in Brookside Elementary and the students the school serves.
So, what will Brookside do with its $5,000? Stay tuned! We'll share the exciting new addition and its impact on Brookside students in a future story.
