WHEATLAND – Forty-seven dresses. That’s how many dresses the seventh and eighth grade Life Skills students made for girls in Africa as a service-based project.
“I was involved in 4-H before working for the school and I feel that service projects are really important, especially for kids this age,” explained teacher Becky Moody. “I wanted the kids to learn about a bigger purpose, to give the kids a look beyond themselves so they would be motivated and to learn how something they do could have an application to the real world.”

The kids were responsible for bringing in a pillowcase from home or the thrift store. They built on the sewing skills they learned last year to complete the dresses. Learning how to sew elastic, bias tape and how to add details to make the dresses more eye-catching. The classes competed and whatever class made the most dresses was treated to pizza and Jet Teas from Simply Creative. Some students came in during their lunch break to sew.
“It was actually fun to make dresses,” said Brookelynn Benson. “We were making them cute so they would want to wear them. I added a waistband with the fabric I used for the straps.”
It felt good to make something for the kids over there,” explained Kenny Raser. “We all helped each other out.”
They not only helped each other with sewing questions and how to thread the needle on the sewing machines, but with design questions as well.
“The girls helped us because we’re guys and we don’t know how to make a dress look good,” said Tomas Martinez. “It was pretty fun, a nice change from cooking. It was worth the effort.”
Anyone may sew dresses and send to Africa. For information and pattern go to www.littledressesforafrica.org.