Sussex Academy students collect crayons for children’s hospitals

Kindergarten and first grade students at Sussex Academy Elementary recently completed a service project that combined environmental awareness with community care.

Students collected nearly 113 lbs of used crayons, which will be donated to The Crayon Initiative, a nonprofit organization that distributes recycled crayons to hospitals across the country.

The Crayon Initiative melts down unwanted crayons and recycles them into new, high-quality crayons that are delivered to pediatric patients in hospitals to provide comfort and creativity during their stay.

As part of the project, Sussex Academy students took an active role in weighing, sorting and organizing crayons by color, learning math and science skills along the way.

Kindergarten teacher Laurie Smailer said the hands-on experience was both educational and rewarding for students, giving them a sense of pride in knowing their efforts will bring joy to children facing medical challenges.

“We are so proud of our students for their hard work and compassion,” Smailer said. “They not only learned valuable lessons about caring for the planet, but also about how their actions can make a difference in the lives of others.”

Kindergartener Karson Maull said, “It makes me happy to know that children in hospitals will be receiving new crayons from our classes.”

Classmate Jake O’Connell said, “I liked collecting crayons, but I’d really love to see them being melted down and recycled.”

This service project reflects Sussex Academy’s commitment to fostering kindness, responsibility, and community service in its youngest learners, Smailer said.