Woodburn Elementary in Fall Church, Va., already had an outdoor classroom, but it was overgrown and not used very often due to lack of shade. In anticipation of students returning in the fall, the PTA used their COVID-19 Relief Fund Grant sponsored by Huntington Ingalls Industries to improve the space for socially-distanced outdoor learning, including adding a sunshade. They also partnered with local non-profit Love and Carrots to build a garden, donating the bounty to a local food bank that prepared food packs for low-income students to bring home over the weekend. With leftover funds, they offered enrichment learning opportunities through a local nature center, including one where students virtually learned how to milk a cow! To further support distance learning, the PTA built a Little Library outside of the school, encouraging students and their families to take a book when they want one, and leave one for another classmate’s enjoyment. We are so #PTAProud of everything the Woodburn PTA accomplished to support their school community! #HowWePTA

In Arizona, drinking water is a necessity! But when students at Mountain View Elementary in Waddell, Ariz., returned to school in the fall, students couldn’t use the water fountains for safety reasons and were required to bring water from home. Using their COVID-19 Relief Fund Grant sponsored by Norton LifeLock, the Mountain View PTA installed 10 bottle filling stations throughout the school to help keep kids safe–and hydrated! They also purchased reusable water bottles and masks, which were kept at the nurse’s station. To support their student’s emotional well-being, they also created a Social Emotional Lending Library filled with over 100 books with stories on handling emotions, including anxiety and depression. #HowWePTA #PTAProud