Woodland teens help girls make blankets for women's shelters

In the true spirit of Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart's community service commitment, some students were joined by younger girls from several Lake County communities to create a gift of warmth for less fortunate women and their children at this cold time of the year.

The 10- to 13-year-old visitors paired with Woodlands students to make 30 no-sew (fleece tie) blankets during a Saturday morning Community Service Day project in December at the all-girls college prep high school in Lake Forest. These blankets are now providing some extra warmth for residents of the Staben House in Waukegan and the Lake County Haven in Libertyville. Both shelters provide transitional housing and a variety of services to help homeless women with children achieve and sustain permanent, independent housing.

Sixteen of the soft, warm and comforting blankets were delivered to Staben House Dec. 16 to meet a need there. The rest were taken to Lake County Haven on Jan. 29.

This marked the start of a planned annual community service event in which younger girls will be invited to Woodlands Academy to join its students in projects that benefit local community service organizations.

Joining Woodlands students in this year's blanket-making project were girls from the following schools:

• Daniel Wright Junior High School in Lincolnshire

• East Lake Academy in Lake Forest

• Holy Cross School in Deerfield

• Miguel Juarez Middle School in Waukegan

• Our Lady of Humility in Beach Park

• School of St. Mary in Lake Forest

Also participating were girls from two nearby parishes - Church of St. Mary in Lake Forest and Holy Cross Catholic Church in Deerfield - as well as Girl Scouts representing Lake Forest, Beach Park and Zion.

Woodlands Academy students need to perform at least 70 hours of community service to graduate. Many students become passionate about service and far exceed the minimum hours.

Seven students who are now seniors were recognized last year for doing a combined 1,058 hours of service and for having service an integral part of their lives.

Founded in 1858, Woodlands Academy is an independent Catholic college preparatory day and boarding high school for young women. It's part of a worldwide network of Sacred Heart Schools that spans the United States and 40 other countries. A nonprofit, Woodlands Academy's identity is rooted in Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat's desire to inspire young hearts and minds to excel, to lead lives of integrity and to serve. For more information about Woodlands Academy, please visit www.woodlandsacademy.org.