Cranberry High School students show off their finished baby blankets which were donated to UPMC Northwest’s maternity ward. Pictured are: Back row, from left, Sametta Johnson, Tristan Smith, Jenilee Brethauer, Ashley Ritchey, Logan Felmlee; middle row, Cheri Siverling, Jenna Roos, Ashlyn Shultz, Micaela Watterson, Ashlyn Myers, Mailey Exley, Megan McNany; and front row, Breann Clark, and Lexi Erwin.
By HANNAH NIEDERRITER
Student contributor
Blankets can be some of the most cherished items as the brisk autumn air grows colder, and recently, Megan McNany’s adult roles class at Cranberry High School devoted their time to sewing baby blankets for UPMC’s maternity ward.
The adult roles class primarily focuses on topics including family dynamics, parenting, and child development, and within the classroom, potential community service ideas were brainstormed by students and put to a vote prior to deciding upon this blanket project.
“We will be doing a project where lifelike baby dolls will be taken home, so we figured that these blankets would tie in well with everything we’ve covered thus far and what students will be doing soon,” McNany explained.
In preparation for this project, the adult roles class reviewed the basics of sewing for a couple of weeks, and generous donations from staff and administration provided sufficient funding for purchasing the necessary materials. Blanket-making techniques such as self-binding and folding were also taught to the students.
As covered in the class, fabric with raised dots, known as minky dot fabric, can help babies develop their sense of touch due to the varying textures. This is why the minky dot fabric was included on the blankets’ edges. Aside from this specification, students were able to select their own fabric patterns and colors, which happened to be numerous students’ favorite portion of the assignment.
Jenilee Brethauer, a senior who was one of the first students to finish her project, stated, “I really hope the mothers enjoy these blankets because I really enjoyed making it, and I’m very proud of it, so I hope they can experience this joy, too.”
These students finally parted with their creations on Wednesday, Nov. 17, when Cheri Siverling, the unit director at UPMC Northwest’s Birthing Center, dropped by the school to collect the blankets for the maternity ward. Despite not being able to keep the final product, the students expressed their gratitude for being able to contribute to an altruistic cause.
Hannah Niederriter is a student at Cranberry High School and member of Cranberry Chronicles, the school’s journalism/publications class.
