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Boardman pupils get hooked on crocheting
The pupils’ project helps
people in need with hand-made afghans and clothing.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
SEVENTH-AND EIGHTH-GRADERS
at Boardman Center Middle School gather around a table, heads bowed in concentration and fingers flying in rhythm.
Video
No, they’re not playing video games or texting their friends. They’re crocheting for the homeless.
The pupils, led by Jan Castaldi, a physical education teacher, and Laura Sevenich Hancock, a guidance counselor, are creating hundreds of 7-by-9-inch rectangles out of yarn.
The rectangles will be crocheted together to make afghans and at the end of the school year, all of the afghans will be given to Homeless Solutions, an organization that helps homeless people including those in Ohio.
The program is part of Warm Up America, an organization comprising volunteers who make afghans and clothing by hand for people who need them.
It takes 49 rectangles to make one afghan.
They work on the pieces primarily during study hall, but Castaldi said whenever a pupil has free time, he or she can work on the yarn rectangles.
For a generation so accustomed to instant gratification, the pupils get into the long-term project.
Faith Marsco, 14, learned to crochet earlier this year from the two faculty members. Earlier this month, she was circulating among her fellow pupils in the school’s small auditorium, instructing them in her new hobby.
“I continued to go to Mrs. Hancock’s office to crochet when I had time,” the eighth-grader said. “It’s kind of a stress reliever for me.”
She completed two rectangles and continues on a third using a new, fancier stitch Castaldi taught her. Even after the project ends, Faith plans to continue to crochet.
“My grandma crochets so I guess it’s started to play a role in my life,” she said. “She wants me to come over to her house and crochet with her. She’s very enthusiastic about it.”
Anthony Ambrosini’s grandmother crochets too.
“She makes crochet covers for different things in her house,” Anthony, 13, said. “When she has time, she crochets scarves.”
The seventh-grader just started with the yarn so he and his grandma haven’t had any shared crochet moments yet.
It can be slow-going at first as the children learn the art, but when they get the hang of it, they can complete a rectangle in about 20 minutes, Castaldi said.
Hannah Rohrabaugh, 13, and also in seventh grade, winds the yarn around the crochet needle, moving the tool in and out to create the first row of her rectangle.
“It’s therapy,” Hannah said.
A group crocheting session at the school marked the first time she tried her hand at the craft.
It was a first for seventh-graders Michael Wilson, 12, and Jaylen Lewis, 13, too.
“It’s pretty fun,” said Jaylen who was just beginning the second row of his first rectangle.
The second row is harder, he says, because it must blend with the first one. He chose white yarn for his first try because it’s easy to see.
Michael was feeling more comfortable in his work.
“It’s a little hard, but you just have to get into it,” he said. “You kind of get a rhythm going.”
Jermaine Tillis, 13, is working on two rectangles at the same time. He misplaced his first one and started on another before the first one turned up.
“I enjoy it,” said Jermaine who is in seventh grade. “It’s fun.”
Hancock pointed out that the school, parents and businesses have donated to the effort with cash while parents, teachers and community members have provided additional assistance.
Michael’s, Hobby Lobby, Pat Catan’s, Wal-Mart and Joann Etc., have all helped out with discounts and gift certificates.
The project could benefit from additional monetary donations to cover the costs of materials as well as help with making the rectangles, sewing them together and with instruction, she said. Call Hancock at (330) 259-7109 to help.