By Emily Chaffins -
DEERFIELD BEACH | St. Ambrose Catholic School third- through fifth-graders are neither letting the scorching summer heat nor discarded pizza boxes go to waste – they’ve created something “sweet” out of both.
“The students are learning about recycling and recognizing things that help or hurt the environment,” said fourth-grade teacher Cindy Hagaman in an email interview with the Florida Catholic. “The students read about the abundance of pizza boxes needing to be recycled nationwide. We decided to use our pizza boxes to make solar ovens.”
Students assembled the solar ovens Aug. 21 using everyday materials including aluminum foil and tape. The following day, they gathered on the basketball court to test out their contraptions by toasting s’mores.
“We like our students to be engaged in STREAM – [Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, and Math] – activities that emphasize creativity, critical thinking, and real-world problem-solving,” explained Hagaman.
The project also coincides with the 10th anniversary of Laudato Si’, the late Pope Francis’ encyclical on environmental stewardship.
Although many students were squinting in the intense sun, “Thank goodness for the heat of the sun,” said Lisa Dodge, principal. The s’mores were toasted in about 10 minutes.
As for the students digging into the sweet treats, talk about a “bright side” to the hot Florida summer!
St. Ambrose Catholic School students toast s'mores with solar ovens made out of repurposed pizza boxes Aug. 22 at Deerfield Beach.
St. Ambrose Catholic School students toast s'mores with solar ovens made out of repurposed pizza boxes Aug. 22 at Deerfield Beach.
St. Ambrose Catholic School students snack on s'mores toasted in solar ovens made out of repurposed pizza boxes on Aug. 22 at Deerfield Beach.
Photography: COURTESY
