Fifth Grade Peace Project 2023: Volleyball Net

The class of 2030 will leave their mark on Eastern Mennonite Elementary School with a volleyball/Newcomb net in the school’s playground. The 19-member class collaborated with each other, other grade levels, teachers, their principal and parents to choose the project, pay for the equipment, install it, and host a ribbon cutting celebration on May 24.

Each year, the 5th grade students choose a cooperative group project which results in a gift that the whole school can enjoy as part of the peacebuilding curriculum. The net will be used for the more familiar game of volleyball, but also Newcomb, a cooperative game in which players catch and toss the ball, instead of hitting it over the net. The object is to toss the ball over the net so that the opposite team cannot catch it. All tosses must travel up, before they go down.

At this week’s Wednesday Gathering, K-5 students met outside where the class led a dedication of the project. They also provided additional recess equipment. During the dedication, the students encouraged the school to take care of the equipment by putting it away when they are finished using it.

An email later in the day to 6th to 12th grade students and staff in the upper building said, “Our hope is that the net will be hung each week and taken down on Fridays and stored for the weekend. I’m sure many middle/high schoolers will notice the net and likely want to use it. We are happy to share and invite them to enjoy it as well! ”

Read more about the EMES philosophy of outdoor play and learning here and here.

In 2020, the class ’27 helped to build a hut in the brand new playground at the newly remodeled school. See images and read about that here.