Student Council leaves St. Paul School a cool gift

Laura Keener

Editor

Students, families and parish members gathered after Mass, Aug. 23, at St. Paul School, Florence, for the blessing and dedication of a new outdoor classroom and shade structure.

Father Jason Bertke, pastor, St. Paul Parish, blessed the space, which will give students a cooler place to play and a fresh spot to learn outside.

The idea came from the 2025-2026 Student Council, a group made up of eighth-grade girls, who noticed a simple problem during recess — it was hot. Very hot.

Anna Hanson, a member of Student Council, said the playground area needed shade. “I love to hang out at the playset, but it is very hot,” Miss Hanson said. “In middle school, we actually wear navy shirts, which attracts sun, and so we were very hot.”

Miss Hanson brought the idea to Student Council president, Mallorie Schlueter, and the two helped move the project forward.

“She immediately came and helped me,” Miss Hanson said. “Together, we worked on some multiple ideas, and we made different phases. Our first phase was the awning, and our second phase was the seating.”

The girls then got busy raising money.

Miss Schlueter said one fundraiser offered babysitting for younger students. “We had babysitting services where kids could come in for about $10, and then that’s how we raised the money,” she said.

The Council also hosted a Ghoul Pull lollipop pull during the school’s annual haunted house, held during school hours for students around Halloween. Along with those efforts, Miss Schlueter said donors helped make the project possible.

“With our incredible donors, we thank them so much, that’s how this happened, really,” she said.

Karen Poulos, moderator for the Student Council, said the students were clear about what they needed — shade. The students even studied the sun and shade during the year so the structure would be in the right place. “When we were fundraising, we’d look at where the shade was, where it needed to be, so that we would have a good structure that they could utilize the area,” she said.

The finished project turned into more than a play area. Mrs. Poulos said an outdoor classroom had been on the school’s wish list for about three years, but earlier plans were too expensive. When the Student Council’s shade project came together, it created a space that could serve two purposes. “Now it kind of does a dual thing where we can have classes out here, and they have shade,” Mrs. Poulos said.

During the dedication, Mrs. Poulos thanked the Student Council, school families, parish community, staff and donors, especially the Bolin and Kramer families. “This project began with students who saw a need and wanted to make a difference in their school,” she said. “Through their fundraising efforts and dedication, they helped turn an idea into something that will benefit students for years to come.” She added, “Every contribution, whether large or small, helped bring us closer to this day.”

The students who worked so hard on the project have now matriculated to high school for the 2026-2027 school year and no longer attend school at St. Paul. They will not get to use the shaded classroom every day. Still, Miss Hanson said that was all right.

“It’s really nice to know that kids will be able to stay cool and learn outside,” she said. “Really, it’s just about bringing them joy, and I’m very glad that I get to bring them joy in the years to come.”

In her closing remarks, Mrs. Poulos said, the new space is meant to be “filled with learning, laughter, friendship, and countless wonderful memories for many years to come.”