Students get taste of Ireland

Burchfield Primary after school program educators showcased Ireland and its culture Wednesday with a St. Patrick's Day celebration that let student have a little fun and donate to charity at the same time.

Students followed a trail of pennies from Burchfield Primary School to their Sixth Street after school classroom in search of leprechauns - only to find partially nibbled on, sprung leprechaun traps and a feast of corned beef, cabbage, shamrock cookies and Irish soda bread.

"I'm not sure leprechauns are real," said 9-year-old Maribel Ramirez. "But they could be real."

Saint Patrick's Day, named after the Christian missionary and patron saint of Ireland, was already being celebrated by the Irish in Europe by the ninth and tenth centuries.

It gained in popularity in the Unites States after the first St. Patrick's Day parade in Boston in 1737, and is widely celebrated in America by Irish and non-Irish alike.

"It's named after a man that died on that day," said Crystal Ramirez, also 9.

"He escaped Britain and got kidnapped," piped in Maribel.

"It's a special holiday," agreed 9-year-old Claudia Casorla.

The trio of good friends said Wednesday it was the first time they had ever tasted corned beef, even though they had heard of St. Patrick's Day before.

"It was good," Maribel said. "I'm going to ask my mom to make it."

In fact, learning about new things is what program educators say is the purpose of celebrating special occasions and studying cultures and traditions from around the world.

The program's next big celebration will be Cinco de Mayo, which commemorates the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

"We always encourage the students to try something new," said para-educator Amy Manville. "If you don't try something, how would you know if you liked it."

St. Patrick's Day was the first time most of the kids in the program had ever tasted Irish soda bread, a dense quick bread made with buttermilk, bicarbonate of soda and raisins.

"It was so good," Maribel said. "It was delicious."

About 85 students are enrolled in the after school program, most spending up to four hours each day after school doing arts and crafts, playing on the playground and doing special activities, according to director Kandy Yeghoian.

"Homework comes first," she said.

On Wednesday, students were able to keep the pennies they found on the trail of the leprachauns or donate them to "Pennies for Patients."

The "Pennies for Patient" campaign helps provide funding for research, financial aid and support programs for children with Leukemia and Lymphoma.

Schools nationwide compete by classroom and by school to earn prizes.

The campaign includes an honoree program that connects local children who have been affected by blood cancer to the participating schools, helping to demonstrate the importance of contributions, according to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, which organizes the annual campaign.

The society's goal is to raise $500,000.

Most of Burchfield's after school program students chose to donate their pennies, and, in turn, found the leprechaun's pot of gold chocolate coins available for the taking.