'Hat Tree Project' benefits patients and students

Intermountain Catholic

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National Junior Honor Society members at St. Vincent de Paul School create the Hat Tree Project for patients at Shriners Hospital. At the same time, this project brought out their leadership skills, and complimented their writing and art curriculumns. The patients received a decorated hat and an original storybook. photo courtesy of Carol Barman

SALT LAKE CITY — National Junior Honor Society members at Saint Vincent de Paul School have been working with students to become more involved in helping those less fortunate.

Through a grant from Youth Services America, Youth Ventures Program, the students created the "Hat Tree Project" for Shriners Hospital. The project involved many different grade levels. Students have been decorating hats and writing original storybooks titled "The Hat Tree" for the patients at Shriners Hospital in Salt Lake City. Last year the Hat Tree Project was done for Primary Children's Pediatric Oncology Unit.

The 150 hats and original story books were hung on a five-foot hand made wooden "Hat Tree" and delivered to Shriners Hospital May 6, as part of the National and Global Youth Service Day. Patients at the hospital were given a hat with an accompanying storybook.

Youth Service Day is a day when students of all ages nationally become leaders and commit to community service ventures that positively impact their communities.

This project allowed our students to learn about the importance of giving to those less fortunate and has shown leadership by getting their student body to also be involved and show their commitment to the community.

In addition, this project has complimented their writing and art curriculums required by the State of Utah. Each original storybook and hat is unique and creative and is sure to brighten any patient's day.

Youth Services of America funds youth throughout the country with grants to help with youth-led community service projects. Students write the grants themselves and present their ideas to a committee in Washington D.C. via a phone interview.  The lead student for Saint Vincent School was eighth-grader Danielle Gaztambide.