Oxford students make beds for the homeless using plastic bags
OXFORD – The Oxford Middle School is giving back to its community by building beds for the homeless using plastic bags in what the project organizers consider a big win-win.
The Oxford Middle School Student Government met on Thursday, lead by teachers Katie Palmatier and Rebecca Rosas, and began a project to eliminate plastic waste build-up and create beds for individuals in need.
The teachers have approximately 20 years of experience between them with Palmatier at seven years, and Rosas with 13 years.
Both teachers are advisors to the Oxford Middle School Student Governments. Rosas said Bonnie Emerson, was the person who brought the plastic bed concept to their attention after she reached out to the school and asked if they’d be interested in helping the community.
According to Palmatier, the idea originally stemmed from Bonnie’s aunt, Ethel, a woman who has been using plastic bags to create beds, and has donated the plastic beds to shelters for several years.
“This is a great opportunity for our students to make a difference by reducing plastic buildup and helping people in need,” said Palmatier. “Ethel made a video demonstrating the steps for students to learn how to make the beds, and we’ve just started to process of cutting the bags into plastic strips.”
She said students will take the plastic bags, fold them in half, cut the tops and bottoms off, and create strips approximately an inch-and-a-half wide. She added that the students will eventually take those strips and crochet them to make the beds.
“Plastic bags are overrunning the world, in our short time collecting them we’ve received around 3,000 of them,” said Palmatier. “We’re hoping this will be a great way for us to reduce the amount of plastic bags that might end up in our streets or hanging from a tree.”
She said the student governments in different grades faced off against each other in a competition to get the most plastic bags. She added that the fifth grade student government won the competition, winning an ice cream party.
“Whichever grade brought in the most bags got an ice cream party,” said Palmatier. “Any scrap plastic that doesn’t get used will be returned to local supermarkets so they can be recycled.”
She said the Oxford Middle School Student Government tries to do something different every year to give back to the community, and she hopes that will continue for many years to come.
Pictured: Oxford Middle School Student Government Advisors Katie Palmatier and Rebecca Rosas with 3,000 plastic bags that will be made into beds for the homeless throughout this month. (Zachary Meseck photo)
The Oxford Middle School Student Government met on Thursday, lead by teachers Katie Palmatier and Rebecca Rosas, and began a project to eliminate plastic waste build-up and create beds for individuals in need.
The teachers have approximately 20 years of experience between them with Palmatier at seven years, and Rosas with 13 years.
Both teachers are advisors to the Oxford Middle School Student Governments. Rosas said Bonnie Emerson, was the person who brought the plastic bed concept to their attention after she reached out to the school and asked if they’d be interested in helping the community.
According to Palmatier, the idea originally stemmed from Bonnie’s aunt, Ethel, a woman who has been using plastic bags to create beds, and has donated the plastic beds to shelters for several years.
“This is a great opportunity for our students to make a difference by reducing plastic buildup and helping people in need,” said Palmatier. “Ethel made a video demonstrating the steps for students to learn how to make the beds, and we’ve just started to process of cutting the bags into plastic strips.”
She said students will take the plastic bags, fold them in half, cut the tops and bottoms off, and create strips approximately an inch-and-a-half wide. She added that the students will eventually take those strips and crochet them to make the beds.
“Plastic bags are overrunning the world, in our short time collecting them we’ve received around 3,000 of them,” said Palmatier. “We’re hoping this will be a great way for us to reduce the amount of plastic bags that might end up in our streets or hanging from a tree.”
She said the student governments in different grades faced off against each other in a competition to get the most plastic bags. She added that the fifth grade student government won the competition, winning an ice cream party.
“Whichever grade brought in the most bags got an ice cream party,” said Palmatier. “Any scrap plastic that doesn’t get used will be returned to local supermarkets so they can be recycled.”
She said the Oxford Middle School Student Government tries to do something different every year to give back to the community, and she hopes that will continue for many years to come.
Pictured: Oxford Middle School Student Government Advisors Katie Palmatier and Rebecca Rosas with 3,000 plastic bags that will be made into beds for the homeless throughout this month. (Zachary Meseck photo)
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