sulan: J.E. Harrison students make pouches to help orphaned animals in Australia

Students at J.E. Harrison Middle School are doing their part to help animals struggling to survive through the massive wildfire plaguing Australia.

For nearly a week, students inside Samantha Parks’ gifted classroom in the Baldwin-Whitehall School District have been sewing pouches to send halfway across the globe that will help orphaned or rehabilitating kangaroos, koalas and sugar gliders feel safe and warm while they’re away from their mother’s comfort and recovering.

“I really do have a love for animals,” said seventh-grader Reagan Sanderson, 12. “Since we can’t prevent the wildfires, we might as well help some way from here. I just feel for the little koalas, marsupials and kangaroos that don’t have moms. They need to stay warm somehow.”

Parks got the idea for the project from a Facebook page she follows: the Animal Rescue Craft Guild. They opened hubs throughout the world where people can send pouches and they will get them to where there’s a need in Australia.

Parks immediately thought of her students. Inside her class, where sixth through eighth-graders in the gifted program have class once or twice a week, she focuses on project-based learning.

She thought this could be a fun STEM activity, she said, where the students learned to use a new — or rather old — technology: a sewing machine. “I thought, this is a technology I might know more about than they do,” she said.

Teachers and parents donated fabric and old bedsheets for students to use for the pouches. They used sewing machines from the former home economics classes at the school.

Parks taught the 25 students to sew on the machines, and even how to use an iron. They used their math skills and are working together to make the project come to life.

Those are important skills on their own, students said.

“We learned to thread a bobbin,” seventh-grader Lena Skipina, 12, said.

“And don’t put your fingers near the needle,” seventh-grader Addison Giglione, 12, said with a laugh.

“I would definitely say that we’re learning useful skills that they don’t really teach anymore and might not be valued as much,” Reagan said, noting this could help a student launch a career in fashion.

Others agreed they now can fix their clothes or make a blanket.

Parks pitched the project to the students as: “Let’s save the baby kangaroos!”

They couldn’t wait to help.

“There are large fires over there and a lot of animals are being pushed out of their homes into a place where they might not be comfortable,” said seventh-grader Sean Galentine, 13.

“We’re doing this so we can help Australia in their time of need when their animals are suffering,” added seventh-grader Ryan Priano, 13.

Parks talked with the students about what’s going on in Australia.

“It’s really sad what’s happening. It’s good that we can help out,” Addison said.

This year, Harrison Middle School has focused on empathy. This fits right in, Parks said.

Students hope to make 100 pouches by February. They also are making plush koalas and “Save the animal” scrunchies that they will sell to raise money to donate to organizations feeding animals in Australia.

For students, this project was a lesson that no matter where someone is, you can still help them in some way.

“You don’t have to physically be there to help,” Reagan said.

“If you get a chance, try and help, no matter how close or far you are,” Lena added.