On Monday, Mar. 8, faculty and staff were surprised to find a special something waiting for them in their mailboxes. Colorful pins with positive messages meant to inspire a weary school community entering its second year of a pandemic. The best part? These Pins of Positivity were created by two high school students who are no strangers to making the lives of others just a little bit brighter.
They are Natalie Qualia and Avery Daggett. We caught up with the two seniors to ask them about their generous and meaningful gifts.
What inspired you to makes these Pins of Positivity?
We started making pins to support the Double H Ranch in January 2018. Double H Ranch is a camp in the Adirondacks that provides year-round services for children suffering from life-threatening illnesses. We donated pins to the Double H Adaptive Winter Ski Program, which were then sold in their gift shop to fundraise for new ski equipment for participants in the program. Since the in-person summer camp was understandably canceled due to COVID-19, we donated summer-themed pins to be distributed in Camper Care packages. Double H was able to offer a virtual summer camp where children and staff were excited to wear their new pins. This inspired us to bring the pin positivity to our BC community.
Why now?
Many students are currently struggling with their mental health due to the pandemic and winter seasonal depression. We wanted to uplift our BC community and remind them that we are all in this together. We figured that a small gesture with a big message would do the job.
How did you do this?
We created hundreds of designs, then narrowed it down to our favorite ones. We drew the designs on paper and manufactured the pins using pin machine.
How long did it take?
We have not been counting hours because we truly enjoy designing and manufacturing the pins together. We have made about 2,200 pins in total.
Did you have help?
We tackled this on our own, but we could not have done it without the support of our families, Mr. Doemel, and the BC community.
“Each one of us has been feeling the weight of COVID-19 in our own way, from students to teachers to support staff,” said Principal Doemel. “To know that students not only recognize that but will make this kind of effort in the name of hope is pretty awe-inspiring. I say it on behalf of all of us at BCHS, Avery and Natalie have truly made an impact here and we thank them wholeheartedly.”