Roseburg Junior Academy (RJA) students recently learned that, although they have always been taught not to judge a book by its cover, most people actually do, in fact. RJA has an amazing 10-acre campus located in one of the best neighborhoods in Roseburg, Ore., but its lawns are often overgrown because the school did not possess an efficient lawn mower. The school had a wonderful tractor, but it couldn’t trim the grass low enough for kids to play on. The school also had an awesome Husqvarna lawn mower, but to mow all 10 acres took 14 hours, which was not manageable. In short, it was next to impossible for RJA to take care of its campus.
The students at RJA love to play outside and run through the high grass to get to the playground. They also run through the rough patches of grass to practice running on the school track. These are also students who observe a problem and try to fix it.
Jeff Jackson, RJA principal and fourth through eighth grade teacher, started talking to his students about what they could do to get a new lawn mower for the school. They also discussed the benefits that the younger students would have with properly trimmed grass.
The students decided to have a Valentine’s Day cookie fundraiser. They madde cookies from scratch and sold 104 dozen. Because of their hard work and determination, as well as donations from generous church members, RJA was able to purchase a state-of-the-art, zero-turn Kubota lawn mowe, with extra seat suspension.This was an extra amazing miracle because students at RJA saw God provide a lawn mower for their school right before the grass started to need regular mowing. Our God is incredible!
The class was so excited they threw a party for the lawn mower. They baked cupcakes, provided healthy oranges for the lower-grade students and parents, and decorated the lawn mower with balloons. Students and parents posed with the lawn mower for pictures. At RJA, this lawn mower has become a symbol of what God can do and how we need to celebrate the gifts God gives us.
Roseburg Junior Academy students in grades four through eight gather around the cupcakes they just made for their lawn mower party.
Roseburg Junior Academy students pose with the new lawn mower.
Roseburg Junior Academy students raised money to purchase a new, powerful Kabota lawn mower to keep the school looking amazing.
