WILTON — The Western Maine Play Museum, an emerging children’s museum, has received help from the fourth graders at the Academy Hill School.

Brenda LaVerdiere, a fourth-grade teacher at Academy Hill, recently approached Lori Lewis, vice president of the board of WMPM, with an idea: the students wished to designate the WMPM as the recipient of their profits from their annual Business/Education Partnership with Hannaford Brothers, according to a news release from the museum.

Additional Images

Contributed photo Front row, from left, are Bria Anderson, Isabella Webster, Katie Conant and Mckella Ford. Back row, from left, are Brenda Laverdiere, teacher; Seth Pinkham, and Elaine Fitzgerald, WMPM board member.

For the last 25 years, Laverdiere’s fourth-grade students have been involved in this year-long interactive experience. This year she is assisted by Morgan Turner, a teacher whose students will also be involved in this project. Laverdiere explains in the release that the children “get a taste of real life as they learn about jobs, fill out real job applications, write a personal narrative for a job interview, and are interviewed for a job.”

At the end of this introductory process, children “work at Hannaford under the close supervision of a department manager or associate. It is an inspiring process in which to participate and witness,” said LaVerdiere in the release. “Once the children understand the basics of marketing, they are challenged to create, market and sell their own products or services. Finally, all profits are donated to a charity. This year, students have chosen to donate their profits to the Western Maine Play Museum, and they are very excited to have this opportunity. They want to be a part of the museum’s history!”

Lori Lewis and Elaine Fitzgerald, board members of the Western Maine Play Museum, recently were invited to speak to the children about the ongoing plans for the museum, describing the activities and interactive exhibits that are envisioned. Should the children’s donation exceed $1,000, they will be listed among the other major donors on a permanent display inside the museum.

The Western Maine Play Museum, which aims to open in 2015, appreciates the support of the Wilton fourth graders. The museum welcomes involvement of other community members and volunteers as well.

Western Maine Play Museum is a registered nonprofit that incorporated in November 2013 and is led by a 13-member board of directors. Community members interested in supporting this project should visit the museum’s website for donation options or email westernmaineplay@gmail.com.

Project updates can be found at www.facebook.com/WesternMainePlayMuseum and on its website www.westernmaineplay.org.

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