W.S. Mount Elementary School third-grade students in Robert Rotunno’s class turned a simple writing exercise into a creative awareness project for a cause near and dear to at least one classmate’s heart – ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

The writing project called for the students to explain what they would do with $100 and several noted they would gift it to charity. Patrick Scali, the grandson of ALS advocate and Ride for Life creator Chris Pendergast, educated his peers about ALS and the class moved to turn the creative writing initiative into reality.

Each student contributed to raising $100 for ALS research and helped to plant a tulip garden dedicated to spreading awareness of the cause in the school’s bus circle.

“It feels really good to support and help those in the community affected by this disease,” said Patrick. “I hope when people see the garden they are inspired to learn more and find their own ways to help.”