Students at Whitby School in Greenwich, Connecticut, recently hosted the 10th annual “March Madness” Connect 4 Tournament, collecting 56 new toothbrushes and 11 new tubes of toothpaste. Participants donated dental supplies to support Dorothy Day Hospitality House, a homeless shelter in Danbury, Connecticut. “Our 10-year tradition launched in 2016, when student group ‘The Recess Rangers’ brought their successful fourth grade PYP Exhibition project concept up to Middle School,” said design teacher and tournament coordinator Phil Lohmeyer. “Over the years we have helped Dorothy Day by collecting different donation items as our entry fee, like socks, gloves or blue jeans. This year, dental supplies were one of the most needed.”
Students signed up in design class, encouraging their “Color Cup Challenge” teammates to bring donations and enter. Green, Blue, Red and Yellow teams regularly collaborate on design projects like video episodes and brand packaging. The event was student supported, explains fifth-grade referee Liam Britt: “My job was to read the rules at the beginning, fill in the bracket during the contest, and also collect supplies.” Mirroring the NCAA tournament, the bracket-style event came down to a “Final Four” featuring middle schoolers Sebastian Florez, Eduard Gomis, Dennis Mejia, and Trey Manetti. Ultimately, Blue Team member Florez of Norwalk, Connecticut, won the championship. “I brought in a toothbrush and toothpaste for charity,” Sebastian said. “It felt great to win and it was a hard victory, but also I’m glad our efforts are going to a good cause.”
Whitby’s Content Coordinator G. Nicole Miller and Marketing Manager Ally DiGiacomo lent support by documenting and promoting the event. Miller noted, “Seeing the students channel their competitive energy into a meaningful cause made for great photos.” The photos were sent along with the dental supplies to Dorothy Day Hospitality House, a volunteer-run nonprofit providing essential services to homeless populations. “Reaching the 10-year mark is a proud moment for our school, keeping the tradition alive and being a continuous source of JOY.” said Student Activities Coordinator Beth Ferrer when reflecting on the milestone.
