Wickham Elementary student ambassadors create ‘bedtime boxes’ for children in need

CORALVILLE — Wickham Elementary student ambassadors mobilized their peers to collect items to be put in a “bedtime box” — essentials children need to get ready for bed and have a good night’s sleep.

Students brought in stuffed animals, books, blankets, night-lights, pajamas and other necessities to box up and donate to families in need. Toothbrushes and toothpaste were donated by the University of Iowa College of Dentistry.

The boxes were packed by students on March 2 and delivered to Houses to Homes in Coralville, an organization that provides gently-used beds, furniture and other household items for families exiting homelessness.

Viviana Sanchez, 11, a fifth-grader at Wickham Elementary, said she joined Wickham ambassadors because she “always wants to help.”

She is proud of every student in the school who “chipped in and put a lot of work” into putting together the bedtime boxes.

Viviana’s favorite items in the bedtime boxes are the books and stuffed animals. “If you can’t sleep, you might want to go for a book until you get tired or have a stuffed animal to cuddle,” she said.

Not being able to get a good night’s sleep could affect a students’ grades, Viviana said.

“We want everyone to get a good nights rest,” said Emmerson Reimers, 12, a sixth-grader at Wickham.

All of the pajamas in the bedtime boxes are “really cute,” Emmerson said, with “cute little flowers” or cartoon characters. “It’s every pajama you can dream of,” she said.

Amber Daubs, principal of Wickham, said the Wickham ambassadors have “so much pride” in the bedtime boxes. The students worked hard, reflected on what they have at home that they take for granted and celebrated being able to give to kids who aren’t as fortunate as they are, she said.

Each grade level collected a different item for the box. The students set a goal of putting together 60 bedtime boxes, which they met and celebrated with a pajama party last month.

As students worked to gather supplies and put the boxes together, they learned about how getting a good night’s sleep is important to focusing in school, Daubs said.

All students at Wickham are leaders, Daubs said. Starting in kindergarten, they learn about how they can help others at home, at school and in their community.

As they get older, Wickham students have the opportunity to sign up for various leadership groups, including Wickham ambassadors. There are 12 ambassadors this year.

Other leadership groups students can choose to participate in at Wickham include a principal advisory group, a spirit group, safety patrol, office helpers and a recycling group.

Daubs meets with students who are a part of the principal advisory group every few weeks and listens to their desires for their school.

Earlier this year, students pointed out that water from one drinking fountain tasted better than water fountains in the rest of the building.

Daubs did some investigating and found out there really was something wrong with the water system and they were able to fix it.

“That seems small, but things like that make our learning environment better,” she said.

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