METAIRIE, La (WGNO) ––– Students at St. Catherine of Siena had a chance to recycle their leftover Mardi Gras throws and give back through the school’s annual bead drive, supporting St. Michael Special School.
Kids brought beads and toys they caught along the parade routes during the morning carpool. “I don’t really do anything with that stuff, so I usually just donate it,” said St. Catherine of Siena student George Bernard.
Students then helped load a box truck with the beads before they were transported to St. Michael Special School. “They love the beads. Every day they are working on beads whenever we can. They love to sort them, they love to count them out, anything bead related. They are focused and ready to work,” said Special Education Teacher at St. Michael Special School Stephanie Simoneaux.
The students at St. Michael then repackage the beads and toys to sell before next year’s carnival season in a fundraising effort.
The partnership between the two schools has spanned over a decade and teaches the students a valuable lesson. “I think that they get an opportunity to realize it’s about more than ourselves and that things that we might not consider as important can be very important to somebody else, and they can give it to somebody else and see how it makes an impact in their lives,” said the Principal of St. Catherine of Siena, Maria LaFlour.
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