FLOUR POWER AT SWAMPSCOTT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

Thanks to the King Arthur Flour Company, approximately 120 Swampscott fourth graders at the Hadley, Clarke, and Stanley Elementary Schools, learned how to bake bread and give back to the community.

King Arthur Flour delivered 480 pounds of flour for the students. It was separated and packaged with the help of Hadley School student leaders and grocery bags donated by Stop & Shop of Swampscott and Shaw’s of Salem, and each student went home with four pounds of flour, yeast, baking tools, and a cookbook filled with recipes and the history of bread.

An assembly was held at each school as part of the King Arthur Flour Life Skills Bread Baking Program, which teaches students to bake at home with their families while giving back to the community. Under the direction of Elementary STEM Consulting Teacher, Sharon LaRosa, students were given bread-baking instructions, including skills in science, math, kitchen safety, nutrition, and baking.

Their assignment for the weekend was to bake two loaves of bread, one for their family and one to donate to charity.

On the Tuesday after Memorial Day, students came in with their freshly baked homework.  Despite the holiday weekend, over 100 loaves of bread made it to the schools to be donated to The Bridge House and My Brothers’ Table, both in Lynn, where the staff was thrilled and very appreciative to receive such a generous donation.  The custodial staff at each school was also instrumental in the success of the project.

“The students were very focused during the lesson and their enthusiasm was made evident by the amount of bread that came back to school on Tuesday,” said Mrs. LaRosa, who brought the program to Swampscott.

“Due to the success of the program, we are hoping we will be accepted again next year!” Mrs. LaRosa exclaimed.  “I am very proud of what the fourth graders have accomplished!”