On March 2, students at Whitby School in Greenwich hosted the 10th annual “March Madness” Connect 4 Tournament, collecting 56 new toothbrushes and 11 new tubes of toothpaste.
Participants donated dental supplies to support Dorothy Day Hospitality House, a homeless shelter in Danbury.
Whitby Middle School students representing Green, Blue, Red, and Yellow “Color Cup Challenge” teams cheer on classmates Sebastian Florez (left) and Cara McNally (right) during the Connect 4 Tournament. Students encouraged teammates to sign up during Design class, reminding each other to bring in charitable donations as an entry fee.
“Our 10-year tradition launched in 2016, when student group ‘The Recess Rangers’ brought their successful fourth grade PYP Exhibition project concept up to Middle School,” said Design teacher and tournament coordinator Phil Lohmeyer. “Over the years we have helped Dorothy Day by collecting different donation items as our entry fee, like socks, gloves, or blue jeans. This year, dental supplies were one of the most needed.”
Students signed up in Design class, encouraging their “Color Cup Challenge” Teammates to bring donations and enter.
Green, Blue, Red and Yellow teams regularly collaborate on Design projects like video episodes and brand packaging. The event was student supported, explained fifth-grade referee Liam Britt, saying, “My job was to read the rules at the beginning, fill in the bracket during the contest, and also collect supplies.”
Mirroring the NCAA tournament, the bracket-style event came down to a “Final Four” featuring middle schoolers Sebastian Florez, Eduard Gomis, Dennis Mejia, and Trey Manetti. Ultimately, Blue Team member Sebastian of Norwalk, CT won the championship.
“I brought in a toothbrush and toothpaste for charity,” Sebastian said. “It felt great to win and it was a hard victory, but also I’m glad our efforts are going to a good cause.”
Whitby’s Content Coordinator G. Nicole Miller and Marketing Manager Ally Digiacomo lent support by documenting and promoting the event.
Miller noted, “Seeing the students channel their competitive energy into a meaningful cause made for great photos!”
The photos were sent along with the dental supplies to Dorothy Day Hospitality House, a volunteer-run nonprofit providing essential services to homeless populations.
“Reaching the 10-year mark is a proud moment for our school, keeping the tradition alive and being a continuous source of JOY!” said Student Activities Coordinator Beth Ferrer when reflecting on the milestone.
For more on Dorothy Day Hospitality House or Whitby’s Connect 4 Tournament, visit dorothydaydanbury.org or contact [email protected].
Whitby School students and fellow fifth-graders Taylor Weldon of Green Team (left) and Clara Song of Blue Team (right) face off during Round 1 of the annual Connect 4 Tournament. The “March Madness” style event combines strategic gameplay, team spirit, and community service.
Eighth-grade student referee Finnley Gibbs updates the Midwest bracket during Whitby School’s annual Connect 4 Tournament. Student referees were responsible for reading the official rules, tracking winners, and managing the collection of dental supplies for Dorothy Day Hospitality House, a homeless shelter in Danbury.
Referees Julian DeMatteo (left) and Liam Britt (right) hold donations with Event Coordinator Phil Lohmeyer (center). Lohmeyer has facilitated the Connect 4 Tournament for a decade, guiding students as they gather items for local shelters. Says Julian of his referee duties, “We had to count all 56 toothbrushes and 11 toothpastes collected, to give to charity.”
Fifth-grader Alice Mondoni snaps photos with a Canon camera on loan from Whitby’s Marketing Department. Alice’s images capture the Connect 4 Tournament tradition that began as a PYP Exhibition project by the “Recess Rangers,” mentored by faculty member Diana Ljepoja. Copies of the photos were sent to fundraiser recipient Dorothy Day Hospitality House.
From left: “Final Four” competitors Dennis Mejia (Red, 3rd), Trey Manetti (Blue, 2nd), Champion Sebastian Florez of Norwalk (Blue, 1st), and Eduard Gomis (Yellow, 4th). Sebastian holds his prize: a new Connect 4 board, which will be presented in an upcoming assembly. His victory also earned the Blue Team 100 points in Whitby’s year-long “Color Cup Challenge.”