Students in the Thunderbird Academic Program at North Callaway High School recently presented handmade "Hug-A-Blankets" to the Callaway County Sheriff's Department to provide comfort to children throughout the county.
The students have been working on the no sew blankets for several months as part of service-learning.
TAP teacher Melissa Leisinger said service-learning allows students to use academic and civic knowledge, along with their skills, to address needs throughout the community.
Leisinger said the program does service-learning projects throughout the year. Some of the previous projects the students have done include building an outdoors classroom, volunteering at the Columbia Food Bank and making cards and cakes for Fulton VFW on Veterans Day.
TAP is North Callaway's alternative academic program, and Leisinger said alternative could mean a lot of different things to different people.
"It just kind of depends where that student is and what they need at the time to get them graduated and finish their credits, and either pursue onto college or the workforce," Leisinger said.
This is Leisinger's first year teaching TAP at North Callaway, but she has been an alternative school teacher elsewhere for several years.
She said service-learning helps both the students and the community, as it gives community members a chance to learn more about the program and the students.
The service-learning projects give students a feeling of belonging and pride, Leisinger said. She added she thinks the students also enjoy the projects.
The blankets are called "Hug-A-Blankets," and are given to children who are found trauma situations by the CCSO.
Some possible trauma situations include a fire, a natural disaster, or any situation that involves the police or an ambulance, Leisinger said.
Leisinger said the students made nine infant blankets and seven children blankets. Each blanket was sealed with a hug.
She hopes the blankets are able to provide comfort to children who need it.
TAP students presented the blankets to Jon Bradley, Callaway County Sheriff's Office Deputy and North Callaway's School Resource Officer.
The blankets will be given to deputies to use to comfort children in trauma situations.
Leisinger said they would make more blankets in the future if there was a need.
The funding for the blankets came from DonorsChoose.
"As long as there is funding available and things of that nature, yeah I think we would do it as long as there is a need," Leisinger said.