Giving of heartfelt gifts
St. Vincent de Paul students write stories, post podcasts to help cheer up ill children
By Tabatha Deans - Close-Up Staff, Salt Lake Tribune (December 13, 2007)

Students at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School in Holladay are bringing cheer to students at Primary Children's Medical Center. The youngsters created and read stories that have been placed on iTunes and the Internet.

The school's podcasting efforts stem from a service project students participated in last year. It involved creating decorative hats to donate to hospitalized children. Parent volunteers built a special "hat tree" to store the hats, and students painted and decorated the tree.

Students wrote and illustrated unique stories about a "magic hat tree," and decorated hats with items to help illustrate their story. The stories were bound and donated to PCMC, along with matching hats.

The project was so successful, that school officials - along with parent volunteers - decided to broadcast the students' stories on the Internet so children at PCMC can see and hear the production. Second-grader Veronica Start, 8, was one of the first students to have her story broadcast. "My story's about three girls who leave soccer practice, and two don't believe in the hat tree," said Veronica. "But the one girl gives them hats, and then they can see it's real." To illustrate her point, Veronica decorated her hat with a school bus, stars and goodies.

Second-graders wrote and illustrated the stories with the help of seventh-grade buddies. "It's really fun to do with the kids. The podcasting is really fun and it's good to know it will help other kids feel better," said seventh-grader Sarah Longe, who helped Veronica with her project.

During the podcast, students sit in front of a green backdrop and read their story aloud, while their original illustrations are displayed behind them. Sisters Sakina, 7, and Sabiha Masud, 12, teamed up to write a story about a "hat fairy" who tries to gain entry to the castle by trading hats. The duo decorated their hat with pompoms, hearts, stars and ribbons. "Sakina had fun doing it. She really likes helping the cancer patients," Sabiha said.

Books sent to PCMC include the name and information about the student who wrote it, as well as blank pages for the recipient to continue the story if they like.

School officials hope to have nearly 35 student stories available online before Christmas and to deliver a hat tree full of hats and stories to PCMC for the holidays. Second-grade teacher Rhea Hristou said the students have loved writing the stories and are excited about the podcasts. "This really allows the students to give the gift of themselves and creativity to others," she said.

Photo credit: Tabatha Deans/Close-Up Staff