The girls in Grade 7 at Christel House South Africa were eager to do something for their community. They considered many options and landed on hand knitting blankets, booties, and hats for babies. Their service-learning project engaged the entire school.
To get started, the girls needed to purchase wool and knitting needles shares Celeste Fredericks, teacher/librarian/coach for the students. “The noble intention of this project had me hooked,” she says. To buy materials, the school approved a “Civvies Day,” allowing students to wear casual clothes for a small donation. “This effort gave the girls the initial funds to start the project,” says Fredericks. The next challenge for the students – learning how to knit! The team decided to create baby blankets (squares of 30 stitches, 30 rows, and 9 squares per blanket.) This gave everyone a chance to contribute to the blankets. The kids learned quickly. “We knitted furiously during break times,” says Fredericks. Parents and teachers joined the effort, making caps and booties, and teaching the girls and some boys how to knit. Running out of wool, the entire Grade 7 class joined the project to host a school Market Day, successfully selling treats and items to buy more materials. In total, 12 blankets, several caps, and plenty of booties were knitted. “Knitting is not easy, but it’s such fun,” one of the girls said. “I’m proud to see my knitted squares in a blanket!” The knit packages are being distributed to a local maternity ward. Despite the challenges, Fredericks says student enthusiasm never dimmed. “I am so incredibly proud of their accomplishments and how they got the whole school community to participate in this project.”