Lewis Elementary PTA

We are working together to raise $9,500 from individuals and local businesses to make 3-night science camp accessible for all Lewis 5th graders. Your donations enable us to lower the cost of camp to $200 for any 5th grade student who wants to attend. Raised funds also cover the full cost of 12 chaperones and supplements transportation costs.

We have secured a $5,000 scholarship from OMSI and raised $7,500 through PTA community fundraisers and our pie sale.

At science camp students will practice team-building and survival skills, build shelters, test water samples, and learn to identify plants and animals. Please donate and support our efforts to make camp accessible for all Lewis 5th Graders.

Thank you!

Sincerely,

Fifth Grade Science Camp Fundraising Committee

Please play the video or click the Birdie's Place link below.

Birdie's Place

Please view the amazing news coverage as well.

KPTV Interview/Coverage

Welcome to Meriwether Lewis Elementary School, a close-knit

community school in Portland’s Woodstock neighborhood. With just two classes per grade, we’re more than just a school. We’re a family.

August 2023 was filled with the usual excitement of a new school year. Teachers decorated their classrooms, parents and children checked off school shopping lists, and everyone was savoring those last days of summer.

But just one week before school began, our world changed forever.

Birdie was about to start 1st grade, full of life, laughter, and excitement. But in a tragic accident, she was taken from us far too soon. Her family, her friends, and our entire community were left

heartbroken

Birdie’s joy and light touched everyone she met. And now, we want to honor her memory in a way that lets her spirit live on, bringing joy to other children just like she would have.

We’re building Birdie’s Place—a memorial playground that will be filled with laughter, creativity, and love, right in the heart of our school. This isn't just any playground. This will be a place where Birdie's friends, and all of our students. can come together to play, to laugh, and to remember.

Birdie's Place will be thoughtfully designed with hand-painted birds and puzzles that reflect her spirit. It will be a place of joy, where children can discover little pieces of Birdie's story as they play,

But creating Birdie's Place comes at a cost. To transform this vision into reality - preparing the grounds, creating safe surfacing, and installing equipment - our total cost is $392,611. We're calling on you - our friends, family, neighbors, and those who believe in the power of community and remembrance - to help make Birdie's Place possible.

Every contribution, big or small, brings us one step closer. Imagine the smiles, the laughter, and the love that will fill this space because of your generosity. Whether you can give $5, $50, or $500, every dollar will go directly toward creating a safe, beautiful, and inspiring place for our children. And every donation helps keep Birdie's memory alive, in the laughter of children and the bonds of a strengthened community.

Join us in honoring Birdie, Together, we can build more that just a playground - we can build a legacy of joy, connection, and love.