TERRE HAUTE —
In the wake of an event that must seem like a horrible dream for America’s children, some Honey Creek middle school students have used their time and talent to bring smiles to the faces of kids facing a rough time.
On Tuesday, a group of enthusiastic girls from Sherri Armstrong’s eighth-grade English class brought toys and hand-made gifts to young patients in Union Hospital’s pediatric ward.
“In the midst of all the horrible things happening right now, it is nice to see these young girls who are working to make a difference for children in need,” said Armstrong as her students delivered hand-made tutus and bows and also puzzles and Hot Wheels cars to the children’s unit.
The girls especially brightened the day of Josiah Richey, 9, a young patient who gratefully accepted a Hot Wheels car and a Spider-Man puzzle from the group of smiling girls. Fittingly, Josiah, a fourth-grader at Fuqua Elementary School, had just watched the movie “Spider-Man,” the night before, he said.
Armstrong’s students also made colorful tutus and bows for any girl patients. On Tuesday, none of the pediatric ward’s eight patients were girls, so the hospital will keep the tutus and bows for the future when girl patients are checked in, said Jennifer Harrah, nursing care manager/NICU nursery and pediatrics for Union.
“They will really love these,” Harrah said of the colorful tutus when the students arrived on the third-floor ward.
Armstrong’s class recently performed Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and the girls had made tutus to wear for the show, Armstrong said. The girls then thought it would be great to make tutus and bows to bring to any little girls spending the holiday season in the hospital, she said, adding the girls came to school early to work on their gifts.
“We just figured this would be the place where kids would really want them,” said Anna Liebermann, one of the students delivering gifts with her classmates.
“Especially at Christmastime,” added fellow student Sydney Nguyen.
Realizing boys would not want tutus or bows, the girls decided to use money they raised recently selling snacks to purchase Hot Wheels cars and puzzles to bring to the hospital, Armstrong said. But the girls seemed most proud of the colorful tutus and bows they made themselves.
“What little girl doesn’t like tutus and bows?” asked Isabelle Findley, one of the 8th graders.
Other Honey Creek Middle School girls who were a part of the project and visited the hospital Tuesday were Maddie Schilling, Emily Liebermann and Mallory Cooper.
“They are a great group of girls,” their teacher said. “I’m very proud of them.”
Reporter Arthur Foulkes can be reached at (812) 231-4232 or arthur.foulkes@tribstar.com.
Local & Bistate
Related Photos
-
MET121812HCMSgifts.jpg
-
Tribune-Star/Jim Avelis Time to gift: Honey Creek Middle School 8th graders Maddie Schilling and Sydney Nguyen hand gifts to Union Hospital patient Josiah Richey on Tuesday afternoon. The girls and schoolmates Anna Liebermann, Isabelle Findley, Emily Liebermann and Mallory Cooper brought presents to the pediatrics wing of the north side hospital.
Discussion
Middle school students work to make difference
8th graders take gifts to youth in hospital
- Local & Bistate
-
-
Illinois Senate approves sex education bill
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — A proposal that revamps sex education in Illinois public schools to include information about contraception and sexually transmitted diseases has cleared the state Senate.
-
Gregg pondering 2nd run for Indiana governor
INDIANAPOLIS — Former Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Gregg is pondering another run at the state's top job, but has yet to make a decision.
-
Illinois senator apologizes for Nazi remark
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois Sen. Donne Trotter has apologized for remarks that compared a member of Gov. Pat Quinn’s cabinet to a Nazi.
-
Vigo County Jail Log: May 22, 2013
The following individuals were booked into the Vigo County Jail by area law enforcement on Tuesday and Wednesday, based on jail records.
-
Rose-Hulman professor researching ways to make homes storm safe
Tornadoes produce greater uplift forces than hurricanes, which can flatten homes such as in Moore Okla., south of Oklahoma City.
-
Group wants to connect downtown Terre Haute with the Wabash River
Fairbanks Park is underutilized.
The Wabash River is peaceful and inviting, but there is some concern about its cleanliness as well as pollution levels. Also, people can’t get on the river unless they have a boat. -
New conservancy district appoints first directors
Members of the first board of directors of a new lake conservancy district were appointed Tuesday by the Vigo County Board of Commissioners.
-
Vigo law enforcement signs Triad charter to protect seniors
Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller joined Vigo County law enforcement and community activists Tuesday to sign the county’s first Triad charter, becoming the 22nd Triad in Indiana.
-
Wabash Valley Red Cross wraps up Save the Day Campaign
The American Red Cross Wabash Valley Chapter’s 2013 annual meeting concluded the 17th annual Save the Day Campaign, and the results lifted the spirits of all who were involved.
-
Some Vigo roads washed out
Spring storms resulted in $250,000 in damages to roads in southern Vigo County, with costs including sand and labor to save homes near river bottoms, said county highway Assistant Superintendent Dan Bennett.
-
County Council votes $78K toward rail spur
County officials voted Tuesday night to make good on a 2011 promise to help improve a railroad spur just north of Terre Haute for Menard Inc.
-
Spring flooding damages future CSO holding lagoon
Flood waters from the Wabash River have done costly damage to one of the city-owned “lagoons” on former International Paper property.
-
Vigo tops state average for IREAD-3 scores
The Vigo County School Corp. exceeded the state average in the percentage of students passing the state’s mandatory Grade 3 reading test, IREAD-3.
-
Storms cause minor damage in Valley
Tuesday morning storms in the Wabash Valley caused thousands of Duke Energy customers to lose power.
-
Vigo County Jail Log: May 21, 2013
The following individuals were booked into the Vigo County Jail by area law enforcement on Monday and Tuesday, based on jail records.
-
UPDATE: Damage surveys show 2 weak tornadoes hit near Indy
INDIANAPOLIS — The National Weather Service says storm surveys show two weak tornadoes struck central Indiana.
-
Storm causes scattered Indiana power outages
INDIANAPOLIS — A line of thunderstorms that moved across Indiana caused scattered building damage and power outages for several thousand homes and businesses.
-
Kindergartner diagnosed with MD treated to a day with the fire department
“He’ll just never forget this day,” Stacey Manley said, a little bit tearfully, as she watched her smiling 6-year-old son Carter sitting happily in the captain’s seat of Fire Engine 2.
-
Casey, Illinois aims for another world record
The town of Casey, Ill., may soon weave its way into the record books as the small town with the most world records. After setting records for the world’s largest wind chimes and the world’s largest golf tee, Casey is now looking to become home to the world’s largest knitting needles and crochet hook.
-
Rose-Hulman projects will promote growth, learning for people with physical challenges
Life changed dramatically for college engineering student Drew Christy on Feb. 22, 2008 when he was involved in an auto accident and suffered a traumatic brain injury.
-
‘500’ gas stations being sold to Speedway LLC
After several decades in business, the area’s familiar “500” gasoline stations and convenience stores will soon be missing from the roadsides of Vigo and Sullivan counties.
-
Terre Haute woman faces 14 charges
A Terre Haute woman faces 14 criminal counts after her arrest Friday on drug-related charges.
-
Two adults injured in ATV accident
Two adults were injured Sunday evening while riding an all-terrain vehicle near Lexington Farms Subdivision off Moyer Drive in southern Vigo County.
-
Vigo schools’ medical claims down 4 percent
The Vigo County School Corp.’s medical claims were about $13 million over the last 12 months, down 4 percent from the prior year, said Diane Titchenell, an Anthem account manager that works with the school district.
-
2013 Government Directory now available
The 2013 Government Directory is now available.
-
UPDATE: 5 killed, 6 injured in I-70 van crash in Illinois
ST. LOUIS — A van carrying church members returning from a California gathering careened off of a southern Illinois freeway and overturned several times today, killing five people and sending six others to hospitals, authorities said.
-
2 children reported dead from Indianapolis fire
INDIANAPOLIS — Authorities say some autistic children lived in the Indianapolis condominium unit where a fire has killed two children.
-
Tighter Indiana drunken driving law seems unlikely
INDIANAPOLIS — Some key Indiana legislators say it’s unlikely that the state will any time soon go along with a federal safety board’s recommendation that the threshold for drunken driving be cut nearly in half.
-
Vigo County Jail Log: May 20, 2013
The following individuals were booked into the Vigo County Jail by area law enforcement on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, based on jail records.
-
Life-Size Ping Pong: Valley pickleball tourney draws large crowd to Brittlebank Park
It’s been described as “ping pong on steroids.”
Some people call it “life-size ping pong where you stand on the table.” - More Local & Bistate Headlines
-
Illinois Senate approves sex education bill
Jodi Arias: Death Penalty Would Cause More Pain
Looking for Love? Take the Prague Metro
Raw: Costa Rica Volcano Roars to Life
First Person: Baby Falcons on a New York Bridge
Today in History May 22
Raw: Japan's WWII Atrocities Under Fire in Seoul
Raw: Students Clash With Police in Chile
Raw: New Video of Deadly Oklahoma Tornado
Oklahoma: Images of Devastation, Reunion
Crews Race to Find Survivors of Okla. Twister
Police Ram House to End Hostage Standoff
Reunited Dad, Son: 'We Just Praise God'
IRS Official Pleads 5th Amendment
Tim Cook Defends Apple's Tax Accounting
Protests Outside Cincinnati IRS Office
Slow Pokes: Acupuncture Helps Sick Turtles
Raw: Aussie Zoo Shows Off White Rhino Calf
Lawyer: Feds Investigating Susan Powell Case
Families Begin Returning to Their Homes in Moore
Moore, Okla. City of Reunions, Tears After Storm
Kim Kardashian Flaunts Pregnant Bikini Body in Greece
NBA star pledges $1M to help tornado recovery
Shakira's Shocking Talent
Morgan Freeman falls asleep on air
GRAPHIC: Blood-Soaked Machete Killer Caught on Tape
Elin Nordegren Furious With Lindsey Vonn For Parading Kids in Public
Camera Captures Climber As He Loses Grip And Falls
Helen Mirren Meets with Dying Boy in Queen Elizabeth's Place
Crowd Chants '¡Si, Se Puede!' After Passage of Immigration Bill
DWTS Crowns a Winner
Demi Moore a Rocks Bikini at Harry Morton's Family House
Anthony Weiner: I'm running for New York City mayor
Kate Middleton's Dress Flies Up
VIRAL: Baby makes epic soccer goal
The Hangover Baby All Grown Up
Olivia Munn Flaunts Her Bikini Bod
Britney Spears Under Fire Once Again For Being A Bad Mom
Arias Tells Jury What She'd Do if She Gets Life
