A group of Bridgewater-Raritan High School students are involved in an operation that is quite elementary.
Operation Elementary is the name of this well-natured club at Bridgewater-Raritan High School.
Their purpose is simple: provide help where and when needed at various functions and events during the year by the seven primary schools in the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District.
This robust club offers the workforce—there are 64 active members—to lend a hand to such groups as the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District’s Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), which is busy throughout the school year by sponsoring events.
Michele Kussmaul, a Bridgewater-Raritan High School staff member who herself keeps busy, serves as the Advisor to Operation Elementary with Eileen Boosman.
Ms. Kussmaul, a Physical Education Teacher and the head coach of the boys’ and girls’ bowling team at Bridgewater-Raritan High School, explained the mission of Operation Elementary.
“Operation Elementary is partnering with elementary schools in the Bridgewater-Raritan School District to enhance the childhood experience of our younger students,” Ms. Kussmaul said.
She added:
“Mentorship, Nostalgia, Community, Connection.”
The idea behind creating this productive and helpful group was the brainstorm of high school senior Suraj Shah, a club officer today.
“Suraj approached me in October 2024 to start this club. I was his Health and PE teacher,” Ms. Kussmaul recalled.
Thanks to his initiative, Operation Elementary is ready to come out of the bullpen at any time.
Just this past weekend, on March 22, Operation Elementary was there to help with the clothing drive held at the John F. Kennedy Primary School.
The club will also assist at the high school’s Vaughn Stapleton Gymnasium on Saturday, March 29, when the Council of School Associations sponsors its Scoring Points for Kids basketball fundraiser.
Operation Elementary members will work at their own function when the club holds the Bridgewater-Raritan High School Family Friendly Movie Night on Friday, April 11.
Operation Elementary has invited primary school students and their families to the fun evening that will start at 6 p.m. and run until 8:30 p.m. in the Bridgewater-Raritan High School auditorium. Tickets are priced at $1, and snacks will be provided. The movie to be shown will be Peter the Rabbit.
Operation Elementary has provided a rewarding challenge to the schools.
The school that delivers the highest attendance figure at Movie Night will receive the total amount of money raised that evening.
Schools in need of some good old-fashioned work can reach out to Ms. Kussmaul at mkussmaul@brrsd.k12.nj.us, and when the Operation Elementary account is back up and running, then contact the club at operationelementary@brrsd.k12.nj.us
Here are the officers of Operation Elementary.
Name (grade), Position
Aayushi Chauhan (11), President
Nitya Jain (10), Executive Secretary
Suraj Shah (12), founding Member
Somya Jain (11), Vice President
Rong Chang Liu (12), Hours Coordinator
Priyanka Kumar (10), Outreach Director
Sophia Kelleher (10), Volunteer Manager
Natalie Allenspach (12), Outreach Director
Michele Kussmaul, Advisor
Eileen Boosman, Co-Advisor