In an age where the dollar bill is being stretched like never before, where business owners are working longer and harder to stay afloat, a child learns that the world in which she lives is still filled with caring people and hope.

To quote a sixth-grade Farrington student, “The world needs nice people like those of you that came to our spaghetti dinner/auction. Thank you from the whole sixth grade.”

Each year for the past 20 years, students under the guidance of Renee Henry have worked long and hard to finance a field trip to the Boston Museum of Science and Omni Theatre.

It is a rite of passage for those students whose elementary school years are ending, and Cony is on the horizon.

The cost increased this year and there was some speculation about whether the 48 students could raise the additional $1,000 needed. The class held a spaghetti dinner/silent ticket auction on March 2 and raised $2,000 — exceeding their wildest expectations.

This would not have been possible without the outpouring of generosity from our city’s businesses and school community families.

The sixth-grade students at Farrington visited each business, wrote individual thank-you letters, and worked every aspect of the evening’s events.

On behalf of our students, we thank every individual and every business that made the event a success and made this trip a reality.

Laurie Crummett and Renee Henry

Sixth-grade teachers

Farrington Elementary School

Augusta