Elementary Students Create Gifts from the Heart

The students in Mr. Slater’s class at Highlands Elementary in Concord wanted to make a difference in their community. With the help of parents, the 24 second graders came together and decided to make warm and cozy fleece scarves for the oncology patients at the Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek Medical Center.

“Sometimes people are cold in the hospital and we wanted to make them feel good,” said Aryana, a cheery 7 ½ year old who helped make the scarves. “It feels good to help people.”

Mindy Reyes, Aryana’s mother and a parent volunteer in the class, said, “We wanted the kids to really think about others and take home the lesson that you don’t have to be an adult to make a difference. As long as it comes from the heart, anyone can help.”

Seven-year-old Evan liked making the scarves. “I like the softness of the scarf. Maybe someone at the hospital might like the softness, too.”

At the end of January, Kristina Flanagan, service line director for the Kaiser Permanente Diablo Cancer Centers, visited the classroom to accept the scarves on behalf of the medical center and thank the students for their hard work.

“I just want to thank you all for the great work you did in not only making these scarves, but in thinking of others. These scarves will definitely be shared with our patients. You will definitely help brighten their day.”