Saving orangutans

Students vowed to join the cause to help save orangutans at Woodinville Montessori School (WMS) earlier this year.

Upper elementary students in grades 4-6 have been studying about orangutan habitat in the Asian rainforest as a result of a presentation by guest speaker Joyce Major. Joyce volunteers for the Sumatran Orangutan Society (SOS), and works to educate people all over the world about how unsustainably grown palm oil is pushing orangutans, and other creatures of the Asian rainforest, to the brink of extinction.

In response to Joyce’s dynamic presentation, students were inspired to take action. Throughout the course of the last three months, students have raised over $1,500 by designing and selling orangutan T-shirts, bracelets and cookies to their fellow students and their families. All proceeds will be donated to the Sumatran Orangutan Society. The students in the STO (Save The Orangutans) also launched a letter-writing campaign urging companies to use sustainably grown palm oil. They reveled in the opportunity to visit other classrooms, from preschool to junior high to teach about the deforestation of the Asian rainforest and its effect on orangutans.

STO and the students of Cedar Class invited Joyce Major back to WMS for a school-wide assembly about orangutans June 5, which was declared “Orangutan Awareness Day.”

It is worth noting that Cedar Class teachers have neither prompted nor planned this community service project. It has come completely from the hearts of our students. As Montessori educators, fusing love and knowledge with action and confidence in order to contribute to a better, more peaceful planet is a goal we have for every student we come in contact with. We are so proud of the initiative and compassion our students have show through coordinating this project.

The school has two campuses, one near downtown Woodinville, and a second in North Creek/Bothell, and draws students from all over the Eastside.

Ellen Wastell, director of communications Woodinville Montessori School

Kudos to Holder

Your article on Louise Holder (June 3) inspired me to write you. Louise has helped me every step of the way. Her book, “Entrepreneur’s Retreat” should be in every small business library. Louise is ethical, smart and knows how to help business people. Her graphics are fabulous, too.

Jean Tracy, MSS

Annexation reaction

I would be thrilled to be out of the inept Snohomish County jurisdiction. If any county is in a “money grab” it’s certainly Snohomish County.

We get taxed for police service we don’t receive. We called 911 about three years ago when a drunk drove down our street and crashed into three cars … no police ever showed up and the next day the county police showed no record of the call! The Snohomish County police do manage to give out plenty of speeding tickets though …

Tina, from the Web

Tailgate talk

Tailgaters, the bane of courteous drivers … how to cope? Apply for vanity license plate: BACK OFF (not available). Maybe U2CLOSE? Bingo! To clarify meaning, a bumper sticker — top line: NO TAILGATING; bottom line: THE CLOSER YOU GET, THE SLOWER I GO … with caricature of impish turtle.

Friends and family say it’s inviting harassment. So? I love tormenting my tormentors.

Warren Wilson, Kirkland