Chapter 4: It All Started With One Book: How Trash Created Something Beautiful

It was 7:30 A.M. on January 24th and the temperature was below freezing (extremely cold for Florida). Lauren, a preservice teacher in her final, full-time, year-long student teaching assignment, prepared the multipurpose room for all of the second-grade classes and their parents to arrive for a service-learning event. Would the parents Pactually attend? Would the cold weather prevent students from coming to school? Lauren placed gloves, garbage bags, paper, and pencils on each table for the students and parents. Then, she waited in anticipation.

By 8:15, the second-grade classes and their teachers began to arrive. The silent, multipurpose room exploded with excitement as the students entered the space. By 8:30, 20 parents, some with siblings to help, joined the students. Lauren sighed in relief. One of the second grade teachers picked up the microphone, welcomed the group, and thanked them for coming.