Homestead Students Reach Out To Hospitalized Children

­Students in Donna Welch's kindergarten class and the snowman mural that will decorate the recreation center at Schneider Children's Hospital.

Students in Donna Welch's kindergarten class at Homestead School are busy putting the finishing touches on a giant snowman mural that will soon decorate the recreation room at Schneider Children's Hospital at North Shore University Hospital in New Hyde Park.

For the past few years, students in Mrs. Welch's class have been creating seasonal murals for the recreation room at Schneider. Themes have included giant painted pumpkins, turkeys, trees, hearts, and shamrocks.

This past holiday season, all kindergarteners and first graders at Homestead cooperated on a school-wide project: a giant garland for the center that stretched nearly 50 feet. Each student decorated a foam light bulb and glued it to the ever-growing garland, which was then delivered to Schneider and draped around the recreation room. Ace Handicraft of Hempstead donated the supplies that made the project possible.

"Our students are eagerly anticipating completion of the snowman mural so that it can be given to the center next," Mrs. Welch said. The Schneider projects have been so successful that many Homestead students have been inspired to create artwork for children art Schneider on their own during play dates outside of school time. "We are so happy to see that this act of giving has carried over to the home. What a great lesson of community service for our youngest students and for the littlest patients at North Shore."