Teacher Heather Case guides the fabric through the machine while mental health worker Heather Pereira works side-by-side with Stacey Halloran. Submitted photo.

Students in transition class sew quilts for newborns

Students in Heather Case and Heather Pereira's BOCES 2 transition class made a quilt to donate to the Strong Memorial Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Students and staff were interested in this project after meeting Pereira's daughter, Elliana, who was born nine weeks early and spent some time in the NICU.

Students learned that donated quilts are used in the NICU to cover the isolettes to block out noises and light, so the preemies can rest and get strong enough to come home. With staff support, the students made bracelets from donated materials to raise money for the fabric supplies. The students selected the fabric for the quilts from a local store. To sew the quilts the students used an environmental control unit and a Big Mack switch which enables people with disabilities to power the sewing machine, as the teacher guides the material through the machine.

April 30, 2006