Many students head back into the classroom after the school year has ended to attend summer school for a few weeks of their summer.

While it is still academic based, there are some differences between the regular school year and summer school.

One of those differences has been developed by Pricilla Craig, Cassville art teacher for students from kinder academy to fifth grade.

“The school administrators had the idea to have a day in summer school where students gave back,” Craig said. “When they mentioned that, I thought, ‘Well, I love to re-do furniture, and the kids love to paint.’”

There were a couple of projects Cassville students completed during summer school. One of those was to refurbish donated furniture to re-donate to raise money for local fundraisers in the school and community.

“All of my grades in summer school worked on the furniture,” Craig said. “People donated furniture to the project from the Habitat to teachers and community members.”

The students turned a bed into a bench, painted a roll top desk, as well as worked on turning a couple of tailgates into benches, and more.

“The goal is to give the pieces to area businesses to help raise money for the local Habitat for Humanity,” Craig said. “We will keep a couple of the pieces at the school for the backpack program as well.”

Craig said she started the project by having a conversation with the students about what the Habitat for Humanity is and what they do.

“They do so much for the people in this community that are less fortunate or suffer from a tragic event like a fire,” she said. “I explained how the Habitat builds homes and how they get the people to help along with the contractors.”

Craig told the students that when they have stuff to get rid of, they can always take it to the Habitat.

“It is a good cause,” she said. “It is eye-opening and nice to help others and it doesn’t take much to make a difference. People can do a lot with very little.”

Craig said the community does a lot for the Cassville school district, and students and staff alike are extremely thankful.

“Over the past 25 years Cassville school district has given me a lot personally,” she said. “So many people have donated to the school and I wish we could make enough pieces to give one to everyone.”

On the last day of summer school, the Cassville students displayed all of their work.

“I can’t wait to see all of the furniture displayed too,” Craig said