Before the recent Christmas holidays, Baldwin County Sewer Service (BCSS) implemented a new twist on our annual Christmas ornament contest, which is in its fourth year. We asked all Baldwin County school principals to notify us if they wanted to participate in the contest. After receiving several schools confirming that they would love to partake, we choose one school at random, which was Swift Consolidated Elementary School in Bon Secour.
We proceeded at Swift School by providing decorating materials, and we encouraged the teachers to have the students use recycled items or things found in nature to create the ornaments. Imaginative students used materials like recycled cans from the lunchroom, pine cones and sticks to make impressive ornaments in their classrooms. We hope that this helped the children learn more about saving resources and recycling. BCSS mascot Crystal Clean and a few BCSS employees visited the school to judge each class’s ornaments.
Swift received a $500 donation for taking part in the project, and the winning classes’ teachers and students were also given prizes.
The winning classes were:
- 1st place: Anna Corliss’ sixth-grade class,
- 2nd place: Heather Williams’ fourth-grade class
- 3rd place: Jenny Jones’ combination class.
BCSS recently presented the rewards at Swift School’s assembly on January 25.
First place teacher Anna mentioned, “I really appreciate you all providing the opportunity for my kiddos to participate in the contest. Not only did they (me too) enjoy it, but it helped ramp up our Christmas spirit! Thank you again! After discussing how much they enjoyed making the ornaments, we have decided to make it a tradition here at Swift.”
The students expressed their enjoyment with wonderful handmade thank you cards. As fourth-grader Zoe wrote, “Thank you for letting me participate in the ornament contest. It brought joy to me and my family. It was when I put it on my Christmas tree. It made the air feel magical inside my home. I also loved the water drop.”
BCSS truly enjoyed the holiday project, and we can’t wait to work with another Baldwin County school with the contest next year!
