During the school year, the 6th graders raised money by operating the School Store each day during lunchtime. They also conducted special sales like snow cones and doughnuts.
Collectively they decided to donate a majority of their earnings from their small business to The Shakespeare Festival. Begun in 1997, The Shakespeare Festival is a nonprofit theatrical organization here in St. Louis that produces Shakespearean plays and other classic works, offering free and accessible performances throughout the St. Louis area. The 6th graders' monetary gift will be used to offer scholarships to children for their summer camps. The students presented their check to Hannah Baartman, the organization's education director, in May at the last Lower School gathering of the year.
The 6th graders are also using a portion of their earnings for a gift to the school. They purchased the materials needed for a hammock garden, a geometrical configuration of posts for hanging packable hammocks. The garden will be completed in time for the start of school in August 2025.