Empty cereal boxes, paper towel tubes, egg cartons and coffee filters might sound like the contents of your recycling bin. But for students at Penn Wynne Elementary School, those items sparked an afternoon of creativity resulting in buildings, race tracks, flowers, robots and more during an event called "Stop, Drop and Build."
Penn Wynne students are rewarded for their continued efforts to demonstrate the "Three B's," which are "Be Safe, Be Kind and Be Respectful," the basic tenets of the school's ongoing Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) program.
Students who practice the Three B's are rewarded with Penguin Points from school staff. And Principal Shawn Bernatowicz ("Mr. B.") had promised a big surprise when the total number of Penguin Points reached 40,000.
At two o'clock on Thursday, March 20, 2024, the bank of Penguin Points reached that magic number, so Mr. B was able to announce the fun-filled afternoon of "Stop, Drop and Build" as the students' reward.
The announcement was greeted with cheers throughout the school, as teachers brought out the recycled items that had been collected, along with lots of tape, crayons and markers. The students were encouraged to let their imaginations soar, as fun music played over the school's public address system.
Working in small groups in every classroom, and even some hallways, the students began building all sorts of creations. As they worked, they continued to practice the Three B's, asking politely for additional supplies and admiring each other's work.
Earlier this year, the students enjoyed an afternoon of "Stop, Drop and Draw" at the 20,000-point mark and are now looking ahead to another fun surprise when they hit their next Penguin Point plateau.
For photos of the students in action, you can click through the slide show below.