Volunteers pack lesson plan kits for elementary school students at United Way in Butler Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Volunteers from the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania spent their afternoon on Wednesday, Jan. 21, packing “lesson plan kits” to be used later in the school year by kindergarten students in the Butler Area School District.
“Every spring, we go into the schools and we bring volunteers from our United Way volunteer network to read to students in April and May,” said Jesse Sprajcar, senior director of regional impact at the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania.
The book 'Kite Day' is included in a lesson plan kit created for students at United Way in Butler Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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According to Sprajcar, the goal was to pack 500 lesson plan kits. A group of volunteers were on hand to pack the kits, assembly-line style.
Each kit includes a copy of the book “Kite Day: A Bear & Mole Story” by Will Hillenbrand, as well as an activity kit, a glue stick and a box of crayons.
“This particular book is actually a ‘Pennsylvania One’ book which was selected by the Library Association of Pennsylvania years and years ago,” Sprajcar said. “So we know it’s high-quality.”
Andy Grandinetti, left, and Suzan Yockey, right, work on packing lesson plan kits for elementary school students at United Way in Butler Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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The lesson plan kits are intended for students of the three elementary schools in the Butler Area School District — Emily Brittain, Northwest and Broad Street.
The kits will be distributed late in the school year, with United Way volunteers reading the book to kindergarten students in the district before passing them out.
“We’ll bring volunteers into the kindergarten classrooms and once the volunteers read the book and do the crafts with the teacher and the kiddos, then they’ll get the book to take home,” Sprajcar said.
Amy Pack helps create lesson plan kits for students at United Way in Butler Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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The United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, which operates in a five-county region that includes Butler, will hold similar events with “a couple of other school districts” outside of Butler County, according to Sprajcar.
Children will find the iconic McDonald’s golden arches on some of the stickers inside the clear plastic bags. According to Mark Harrison, director of volunteer engagement, the company helped fund the operation.
“We got funding from McDonald’s and through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit, which is a Pennsylvania tax credit program,” Harrison said. “We have some volunteers from McDonald’s who help support the program.”
Mark Harrison, United Way manager of volunteer engagement, discusses what volunteers will be doing at United Way in Butler Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Volunteers pack lesson plan kits for elementary school students at United Way in Butler Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Volunteers pack lesson plan kits for elementary school students at United Way in Butler Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Tina States, McDonald's general manager, packs a lesson plan kit into a box at United Way in Butler Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Ashleigh Lumly, McDonald's area supervisor, carries a box of lesson plan kits at United Way in Butler Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Lexi Chaney, left, and Harley Pflugh, right, help build lesson plan kits for elementary school students at United Way in Butler Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Kathy Selvaggi helps cut strings for kites to include in lesson plan kits at United Way in Butler Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Andy Grandinetti applies stickers to books included in children's lesson plan kits at United Way in Butler Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Reagan and Heather Ketterer helps pack boxes of crayons into lesson plan kits for elementary school students at United Way in Butler Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Don Vigliotti, board chair for Butler & Armstrong, and his wife Kathy Selvaggi help cut strings for kites to include in lesson plan kits at United Way in Butler Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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