Casa Pacifica gets library

During a history lesson on American heroes, teachers at Lang Ranch Elementary in Thousand Oaks wanted to impart more than textbook knowledge to their 140 second-graders.

They wanted the students to learn by doing.

So teachers and students decided to craft blankets for a nonprofit group that supplies them to children in distress.

The students were eager to help, teacher Kristen Nordstrom said. But first they had to raise money to buy the materials. The students created artwork to adorn hats, clothing and other collectibles and sold the items to family and friends. They made about $1,600, which the teachers used to buy flannel materialThe students made and donated 140 hand-knotted blankets to Project Linus.

Nordstrom said their fundraising was such a success that they had around $1,000 lefover. They immediately thoughof using the money to help the

children at Casa PacificaNordstrom called the Camarillo nonprofit facility that treats abandoned, abused and neglected children and asked what was neededThe timing couldn't have been better. Vicki Murphy, director of operations, told her the agency desperately needed a library. The school had recently been accredited and, as a resulthad to have a media center thaincluded a well-stocked library.

The students' money kickstarted the first library at Casa Pacifica by stocking it with about 250 new books. Nordstrom delivered the last box of books last month.

Lang Ranch students said they understood and gained from the hands-on lesson.

"I felt good from doing it, because I'm helping someone else, 8-year-old Clayton Yuckert said.

"It makes me feel happy that they got new books to read," said Noah Meshwork, also 8. "I love going to the library, and I hope their library turns out great."

Murphy said the Casa Pacifica children learned a lesson too.

"For them to know that all these children in the community care about them is huge," she said. Casa Pacifica has now started a book club, Murphy said.

For more information about the library or to contribute, call Casa Pacifica at (805) 445-7800.