North Bellmore Students Send Teddy Bears Around the World

Third-graders at Martin Avenue Elementary School in the North Bellmore School District may not be able to travel the world this year, but their teddy bears can. The students recently began their Teddy Bears Around the World project, with their friends set to begin their global journeys.

Each student colored a paper teddy bear, and gave it a name and hobbies. They then completed the teddy bear kit by including a passport and cover letter. The kits will be given to someone they know who is traveling to another state or country, and that person is asked to mail a postcard to the school.

Over the next several months, the hope is that each teddy bear will be passed along with the recipients sending a postcard and writing their location in the passport. The letters request that each kit, complete with a “stamped” passport, is mailed back to the school by June.

Teachers Judy Wakie and Danielle Kalinowski said that the project relates to the third grade social studies curriculum, which focuses on communities. As a postcard is received, the students learn about that place. The goal is to receive as many postcards as possible from across the world.

“We really don’t know where the bears will end up,” Kalinowski said. “It’s a surprise.”

Photos: North Bellmore School District