In recognition of Autism Awareness Month, which was in April, a group of Tecumseh Elementary School students raised $2,383.92 on April 8 through their 8th annual lemonade stand. The fundraiser benefited Central New York Autism Society Central New York and the Adaptive Design Association, two local nonprofit organizations.
The students who coordinated the fundraiser are part of Tecumseh’s Learning Pad, which is the district’s 12:1:(3+1) special education classroom that includes seven students in grades K-4 from the district’s three elementary school zones. The day of the lemonade stand, the Learning Pad students decorated a stand outside their classroom, and classes took turns visiting. Each of the Learning Pad students also pushed lemonade carts to share lemonade with the entire building.
Lemonade stand activities are woven into Learning Pad classroom activities and instruction. Students use math and science skills to measure and mix the lemonade, and they work on marketing skills as they create posters advertising the fundraiser. They also hone their social skills as they develop and practice scripts for greeting their peers and “selling” the lemonade.
All students who wanted lemonade were served lemonade regardless if they were donating.