Slatington Elementary School’s student-run Life Skills Cafe has received a contribution in memory of a teacher.

Last week, Superintendent Dr. Matthew J. Link said he was contacted by the executive director of Lehigh Career and Technical Institute, Dr. Lisa Greenawalt, who said her mother, former Slatington Elementary special education teacher Anna Mae Greenawalt, died.

“The family, in recognition of her love of education, teaching, and her time here at Slatington Elementary School wanted to make a donation on behalf of her to kind of help her memory live on here at Slatington Elementary School,” Link said. .

“They have donated $250, and through that conversation, we’ve decided that the Life Skills Cafe would be the best recipient of that because that donation can go toward buying some equipment for the Life Skills Cafe, some supplies to really help that program live on beyond its actual kind of dedicated budget which is all from the funds they’ve raised.”

Link added that last week he and Slatington Elementary Principal Todd Breiner presented the check to Life Skills teacher Ryan Stillwell and all the children while they were working that day at the cafe.

The cafe operates one to two times a month.

“And it was really just a great experience, a way to honor Anna Mae Greenawalt,” Link said. “We are appreciative of the donation, and please know that Anna Mae’s memory and passion for education will live on through the Cafe and its students.”

“This is where our Life Skills students, our students with some of the greatest needs either physically or cognitively are given an opportunity to work together to prepare a menu and then also a little entrepreneurship to sell those items which typically consist of baked goods, coffee, tea, things like that to the faculty and staff here,” Link said.

“It’s always a day when especially our office staff, myself, a lot of the teachers, you get in there and there’s a line out the door for people to buy these treats and also the exchange of money with these students, teaching them several skills, so we are just very fond of that program here at Slatington Elementary School,” he added.

Banner

Also on Monday, Link noted that an anonymous donor funded a banner to the district as a permanent welcome to the district’s annual Bulldog Games each year.

“The banner will be placed near the entrance to Bulldog Stadium welcoming our student athletes, volunteers, parents and guardians and other community members to the Bulldog Games,” he said.

Link added that the Bulldog Games began two years ago “and provide an opportunity for our students with special needs to participate in fun stadium games and activities.

“It’s become a very popular day each year in which many of our high school students volunteer to be helpers and Peer Buddies,” he said.

This year’s Bulldog Games are May 22 in Bulldog Stadium.

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