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Greenfield Elementary volunteer Carele Mayer reads to students during the “Tea with Lady Sapphire” event. -
Greenfield Elementary students make “seed balls” with the instruction of volunteer Carele Mayer. -
Greenfield Elementary volunteer Carele Mayer helps Greenfield Elementary students make “seed balls” that students will throw around the school to help grow vegetation. -
Greenfield Elementary volunteer Carele Mayer hosts a tea party for students during her “Tea with Lady Sapphire” book-reading and tea event.
ConVal Superintendent Kimberly Rizzo Saunders and Greenfield Elementary School Principal Shawne Hilliard recently recognized Carele Mayer, who has been volunteering at Greenfield Elementary for 30 years.
Mayer is a retired Massachusetts teacher and has been volunteering at Greenfield Elementary for 30 years, specifically working with kindergartners.
Mayer not only supports teachers by providing classroom materials, but also plans interactive activities for students, including “Tea with Lady Sapphire,” where Mayer hosts a tea party for students and reads to them. She also helped students care for caterpillars and release butterflies in September.
Mayer also oversees the Greenfield Elementary Garden, which she founded, where students in each grade plant different flowers for everyone to see. Mayer provides all the materials for the garden herself and even started the tradition of having kindergarten students make a class stone every year to lay along the walkway to the memorial bench located in the garden.
Additionally, Mayer was a leading force in the ongoing second-grade project of creating “seed balls.” In 2000, when students moved into the school, there was a large sand bank on the side of the property. Concerned about erosion, Mayer had the idea to make “seed balls” for the students to put on the sandbank so that vegetation would grow. The project has continued over the years and teaches students about germination and vegetation while providing an interactive experience when students get to toss the mixture onto the banks around the school.
“Carele Mayer is truly remarkable, as she dedicates her time to volunteering at our school and engaging with students,” stated Hilliard. “She goes above and beyond in everything she does to support not only the students but our teachers and faculty as well. On behalf of everyone at Greenfield Elementary, I would like to thank Carele for her continued support and efforts. We are incredibly thankful for all she does for us.”