Maine’s Positive Story of the Day ~ Prescott Memorial School in Washington
1,000 Cranes for a Cause
It is a Japanese legend that a person who makes 1,000 origami cranes will have a wish granted. Cranes are seen as a symbol of longevity, happiness, and balance across Asia and in modern times the origami crane has become a symbol of peace. As a way of giving back to the community that has given so much to us, Prescott Memorial School students, family, and community members participated in a challenge to make 1,000 origami cranes. These 1,000 cranes were then to be made into a beautiful mobile and the Prescott school community met the challenge!! This project was the idea of our library ed-tech, Sherry Casas to fulfill a student teaching assignment that involved students, staff, and the school community.
For three weeks, students, staff, families, and community members folded origami cranes in the hopes of meeting our goal of 1000. Students were making cranes during their free time at home and during lunch and recess periods at school. The staff made them on weekends and evenings and families had fun working on them together at home. When it looked like we were going to come up short as the deadline neared, our community stepped up and delivered cranes, cranes, and more cranes! We found them on our school doorstep, parents rushed over to hand-deliver them to be sure they got here in time and community members rallied so we reached our 1000 crane goal! We were so pleased with the community spirit and collaboration that took place from this simple project. Mrs. Casas worked tirelessly to assemble the mobile once the cranes were finished and it is now on display at the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland for the month of December. The beautiful mobile will then be donated to the Alfond Center for Health in Augusta.
This was truly a positive and heartwarming effort by all in our small school community!