Three Niagara Career and Technical Education Center students Abigiele Chukhanenko, Madison Ciupa and Lillian Diegelman came up with a very sweet community service project for their SkillsUSA competition. The students are taking the Allied Health program in Lockport with Melissa Brigham and wanted to do something that would impact children and senior citizens who are in medical care facilities.
After some brainstorming, they came up with their project which they named Threads of Hope – a bracelet for courage and a card for comfort. “We wanted to spread love in the community and we understand how hard it is for people in patient care and how lonely they get,” explained Lillian. “We thought the bracelets and the cards would be a good way to let them know they are being thought of and it would give them hope and cheer them up.”
The team did not have to think too hard of who they could tap for the artistic talents and looked toward their homeschool of Starpoint. “The sixth grade to twelve grade Art departments were a huge help,” says Abby. “Their students were amazing. We had a goal of 250 bracelets and they made 350. The bracelets were all different colors, designs, slogans and sizes, so they would fit any child. Our kindergarten through grade five and our BOCES’ Graphic Communications class made almost 400 cards. The students filled them with words of kindness and made some amazing colorful pictures. The cards and bracelets were beautiful and when we dropped them off at the Golisano Children’s Hospital and some of the local nursing homes like Wheatfield Elderwood and Lockport Rehabilitation, they were just so excited.”
“I think our personal experience and our BOCES experience really influenced our choice for the community service project,” says Lillian. “It was a good way to help those in our community.” Abby added “It was great to unite our school with BOCES to do this project. It got everyone involved and we really brought some smiles to people’s faces who really needed this. It is really about connecting with people and making them feel cared about.”
The students are looking forward to sharing their portfolio and photos of those whose lives they touched when they compete at the New York State SkillsUSA competition at the end of April.