Baldwin students create, donate stuffed animals to Bethany House

Baldwin High School’s fashion class participated in a community service project for Halloween, using the sewing skills and hand-stitching techniques they’ve learned in class to create monster stuffed animals for families at the Bethany House—a local non-profit supporting women and children experiencing homelessness.

The project aligns with the district’s curriculum focus on “students as producers” and civics, showcasing how the high school’s fashion coursework prepares students for various career paths post-graduation.

“This effort started as a way to connect our Baldwin High School students to our younger children within the community,” Analisa Giannone, the family and consumer science teacher, expressed in a news release. “The high school students have said it has been an extremely rewarding experience, and I completely agree!”

The students began by choosing a monster pattern and then utilized skills learned in class, such as sewing machine operation and hand-stitching, to create seams and incorporate poly-fill stuffing. They crafted more than 30 stuffed monsters.

Giannone initiated this endeavor last year during her first year at Baldwin High School, coordinating the donation of stuffed dolls to the Baldwin Public Library. These dolls were made available in the children’s section and gifted along with checked-out books.

https://www.liherald.com/baldwin/stories/baldwin-high-school-fashion-class-bethany-house,211208