06/04/2026
Garden Valley Elementary Service Learning Projects💚🤝
At Garden Valley Elementary, every grade level participates in a service-learning project each year. Each class selects and carries out its own project, combining grade-level content standards, 21st-century learning skills, and meaningful service to others. Through these projects, students learn that they have the power to make a positive difference in their school and community.
This year’s projects benefited the Mondak Humane Society, improved playground equipment, added birdhouses around Garden Valley, provided gratitude bags for community helpers, and refurbished the Garden Valley clothing closet.
👖To help classes get started, Garden Valley staff provided “seed money” through a Just Jeans January fundraiser. Staff members donated $20 for the opportunity to wear jeans during the month of January, creating startup funds for each class’s project.👖
Kindergarten – Supporting the Mondak Humane Society🐶🐱
In Mrs. Haugen’s kindergarten class, students held a Hat Day fundraiser and counted all of the donations as a class. After receiving a few additional donations at the end of the day, they raised a total of $147.31.
Students brainstormed items that could help dogs and cats awaiting adoption. Their ideas included pet food, treats, bones, pet beds, and cleaning supplies. Using the funds they raised, students purchased items from the Mondak Humane Society wish list.
First Grade – Playground Improvements🛝🥅
First graders held a Hat Day and organized a “Pennies for Playground” campaign. Last year’s project raised $1,200, which allowed the school to purchase two sturdy soccer nets for students to enjoy during recess and physical education. Funds raised this year will be used to purchase additional playground equipment to benefit current and future Garden Valley students.
Second Grade – Birdhouses for Garden Valley🐤🐦🪺
In Mrs. Carvey’s second-grade classroom, students learned about birds, including North Dakota’s state bird, the Western Meadowlark. They researched a bird of their choice and wrote informational paragraphs about their findings.
Students then worked collaboratively to assemble and paint birdhouses that will be placed around Garden Valley, creating habitats for local birds while beautifying the school grounds.
Fourth Grade – Gratitude for Community Helpers💚🤝👮🏽🧑🏻🚒👩🏻⚕️
On May 13, fourth-grade students visited the fire department, police department, Trinity, and the nursing home to deliver gratitude bags to community helpers. During their visits, students had the opportunity to take tours of several locations and learn more about the important roles these individuals play in our community.
Students also spread kindness by hiding painted kindness rocks throughout the local park.
Fifth Grade – Supporting the Garden Valley Clothing Closet👚👖👕
On May 20, fifth-grade students wrapped up their service-learning project during their end-of-year celebration trip. After bowling and enjoying pizza in the park, students visited Walmart to purchase clothing and supplies for the Garden Valley clothing closet, which provides essential items to students who may need them during the school day.
Through a lemonade 🍋stand at the Happiest School on Earth Fun Run and a Hat Day fundraiser, students raised more than $530. During their shopping trip, students worked in groups to manage budgets, compare prices, make purchasing decisions, and ensure funds were spent wisely.
The Benefits of Service Learning
Service learning provides students with authentic opportunities to apply what they learn in the classroom to real-world situations. Through these projects, students develop:
• Leadership and teamwork skills
• Communication and collaboration abilities
• Problem-solving and critical-thinking skills
• Financial literacy through budgeting and fundraising
• Research and writing skills
• Civic responsibility and community awareness
• Empathy, kindness, and compassion for others
Most importantly, service learning helps students understand that even at a young age, they can make a meaningful impact. By identifying needs, planning solutions, and taking action, Garden Valley students learn the value of service while building the skills they will need to become successful learners, leaders, and community members.
At Garden Valley, we believe that Grizzlies make their school and community a better place. Through these service-learning projects, students see firsthand that small acts of kindness, hard work, and teamwork can create meaningful change. Whether they are helping animals, improving playgrounds, supporting classmates, showing gratitude to community helpers, or caring for local wildlife, our Grizzlies are learning that they each have the ability—and responsibility—to make a positive difference in the world around them. 🐻💚
