Students in Barbara Bickford’s seventh-grade Home and Careers class at Hampton Bays Middle School recently completed a Service Learning project together with their teacher intern, Ms. Mitchell. The students created 45 pillows in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes for children in Haiti who are now living in an orphanage due to the devastating earthquake earlier this year. “Each student learned the basics of clothing construction, textiles, and how to create a production line with quality control. Pillows were chosen for comfort, construction, and ‘cuddle power,’” said Mrs. Bickford.

In addition to the pillows, students created cards for the children expressing the care and concern of students from afar.
“On the final day of this project the students developed a closer understanding of the purpose of their service when Ms. Samantha, a resident of Haiti, visited our classroom,” continued Mrs. Bickford. “She shared with our students the love of her homeland, everyday language sayings, basic geography, and an insight to the customs and culture of this small island community.”
Following the presentation of the pillows, a few classic Haitian recipes were enjoyed by all.