Since 2015, RainWise has partnered with Seattle Public Schools to create rain gardens at eight Seattle Public Schools, and we’ve been fortunate enough to be involved in the collaboration, lessons, and development of several of those amazing projects! During the 2021/2022 school year, Celina Steiger, IslandWood Partnerships Manager, was part of the multi-organization team that collaborated on the development of a RainWise project at Leschi Elementary in Seattle. 

The project was co-designed by two 5th grade classes and on May 26th was celebrated by partners Seattle Public Utilities, HomeGrown Organics, Seattle Public Schools, IslandWood, and the Leschi community with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony. 

We’re delighted to share a highlight of the event below – a poem written by Alder, one of the Leschi Elementary 5th graders. It is titled “Cleanliness” and was inspired by becoming RainWise! 

Rain, rain the life-forming liquid of cleanliness 

Mandatory for not just us, but the beautiful 

Or not-so-beautiful stalks that carry us to success. 

Plants, we need them oh-so-much. 

They keep the air full of life, clean 

The clean we hope the lake could be. 

So many people want change 

Not just us, but the plants too. 

We call, and one miracle later, we have an answer. 

An answer of inclusiveness, of justice. 

We had an opportunity, to clean 

Not to clean our rooms, but the lake. 

We could help from where we were. 

Everyone joined together, and helped; we are: 

Rainwise. 

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