Top Bar

Cynwyd Elementary School

Off-Canvas

Knights & Owls Make Tote-ally Great Team

In response to Lower Merion Township's recent plastic bag ban, eighth graders in Kate Edwards’ Leadership Course at Bala Cynwyd Middle School joined forces with Stacy Kimpel’s third-grade class at Cynwyd on a special project centering on sustainability.

Over the course of a week, each of the elder Knights buddied up with an Owl or two as they convened to create “no-sew” reusable tote bags out of t-shirts, some of which were later donated to small businesses throughout the township, while others were gifted to teachers, family and friends. The bags included a flyer detailing all of the pertinent information regarding the new single-use plastic bag prohibition, which is more formally known as Ordinance No. 4270. Each small business owner also received their own handwritten note wishing them well and thanking them for their sustainability efforts.

Ultimately, this collaborative project across grade levels was a fun and fruitful venture for students both young and old...or should we say students both young and younger? To see a series of images of the Knights and Owls in action, click through the slideshow below!

Throughout the year, Bala Cynwyd’s Leadership students have the opportunity to explore their strengths in both individual and team capacities, research habits of mind that contribute to success and work to develop cultural competencies that will allow them to use their leadership skills in service to others and the community-at-large.

A teacher holds up one o the t-shirts that read: Bala Cywnyd vs. Everybody
A teacher holds up one o the t-shirts that read: Bala Cywnyd vs. Everybody
Two elementary students and their older counterpart hold up a shirt
Bala Cynwyd and Cynwyd students work together to create re-suable tote bags
Bala Cynwyd and Cynwyd students work together to create re-suable tote bags
Bala Cynwyd and Cynwyd students work together to create re-suable tote bags
Bala Cynwyd and Cynwyd students work together to create re-suable tote bags
Bala Cynwyd and Cynwyd students work together to create re-suable tote bags
Bala Cynwyd and Cynwyd students work together to create re-suable tote bags
Bala Cynwyd and Cynwyd students work together to create re-suable tote bags
Bala Cynwyd and Cynwyd students work together to create re-suable tote bags
A stack of Bala Cynwyd vs. Everybody t-shirts
Bala Cynwyd and Cynwyd students work together to create re-suable tote bags
Bala Cynwyd and Cynwyd students work together to create re-suable tote bags
Bala Cynwyd and Cynwyd students work together to create re-suable tote bags
Bala Cynwyd and Cynwyd students work together to create re-suable tote bags
Bala Cynwyd and Cynwyd students work together to create re-suable tote bags
Bala Cynwyd and Cynwyd students work together to create re-suable tote bags
Bala Cynwyd and Cynwyd students work together to create re-suable tote bags
Bala Cynwyd and Cynwyd students work together to create re-suable tote bags
Bala Cynwyd and Cynwyd students work together to create re-suable tote bags
Bala Cynwyd and Cynwyd students work together to create re-suable tote bags
Bala Cynwyd and Cynwyd students work together to create re-suable tote bags
Bala Cynwyd and Cynwyd students work together to create re-suable tote bags
Bala Cynwyd and Cynwyd students work together to create re-suable tote bags
Bala Cynwyd and Cynwyd students work together to create re-suable tote bags
Bala Cynwyd and Cynwyd students work together to create re-suable tote bags
Bala Cynwyd and Cynwyd students work together to create re-suable tote bags
Notes for the bag recipients