"Pizza with a Purpose" at Newton Montessori School

October 27, 2017 - Recently, sixth graders at Newton Montessori School put their problem-solving skills to work, coming up with an innovative way to help others in need. The students created “Pizza with a Purpose,” a pop-up pizza sale used to raise funds for Island Montessori, a school in Florida damaged by Hurricane Irma. Over the course of the two-day sales drive, the students sold 339 slices of pizza and raised close to $1,000 in donations.

“This was exceptional in every way,” says Beth Black, Newton Montessori Head of School. “Our sixth graders really embodied our school spirit in using their creativity and ingenuity to help others,” she continues. “Our whole community rallied around this cause.”

The sixth graders are the oldest members of Newton Montessori’s Y3 Student Council, a group that includes third year students from several of the school’s divisions.

The Council, organized by Newton Montessori Diversity Coordinator, Krissy Canastar, brings the multi-age group together to focus on school improvement and community service. “Pizza with a Purpose” was one such project, giving the oldest Y3 Student Council students the opportunity to build a business from the ground up. “We gave the students a huge challenge,” says Canastar “and they ran with it.”

The idea for a fundraiser started when Canastar learned of Island Montessori and the damage the school suffered from Hurricane Irma. “It was heartbreaking,” Canastar recounts. “We felt like there must be some way we could help another school in need.”

Black then encouraged Canastar to present the fundraising idea as a challenge to Newton Montessori sixth graders. The students were assembled, and - along with Canastar, Black, and several other Newton Montessori staff members - created a name, sales plan, and advertising material for the sale. “Pizza with a Purpose” was the name chosen by secret ballot and the students began taking orders from Newton Montessori families the next day before school.

The response to the fundraiser from Newton Montessori families was overwhelming. Taking orders before and after school at a table in the school’s front hallway, the sixth graders sold 339 slices of pizza. Those sales, combined with added donations from staff, combined to net over $1,000 for Island Montessori’s rebuilding efforts.

“This brought me to tears,” said Island Montessori Head of School Lisa Nguyen, after Newton Montessori sixth graders emailed to let her know about the success of the fundraiser. “We are overwhelmed by all of the love and support we've received from the Montessori community.”

Island Montessori, located about 20 miles south of Naples, sustained crippling damage during Hurricane Irma, which made landfall in Florida on September 10 of this year. The school is now temporarily located in the basement of a nearby Presbyterian church while rebuilding is underway.

Meanwhile, the Newton Montessori sixth graders are celebrating the success of “Pizza with a Purpose,” and the help it brought the disaster stricken school.

“It was really cool,” Newton Montessori sixth grader Sasha Lambergs says about the project. “It was worth the time and the effort we put in. Whether it was trying to sell our product, or telling people that it goes to someone in need,” says Lambergs, “we felt pretty proud as a whole.”

Newton Montessori School is a diverse, thriving co-educational community serving students in Pre-K through Grade 6, where students are encouraged to explore their natural curiosity.

For all coverage requests please contact Mason Sand, Director of Enrollment and Community Engagement mason.sand@newtonmontessori.org.