April 17, 2017

Arlington Heights, IL – If you walked into Patton Elementary School a few weeks back for a parent conference, you would have been met with eight enthusiastic students and two tables full of handmade craft items.

These items, ranging from Autism Awareness bracelets to friendship bracelets and mason jars to magnets, were made and sold to benefit two organizations that had a personal meaning.

“It was a lot of work,” Clare Corley said, “but I was glad I got to do it to raise money for a friend and other people.”

Corley is a student at Patton and is a member of the Social Service Club, a club run by students to help make their community a better place. Corley was one of five girls who decided to raise money by selling craft items at parent conferences for the American Diabetes Association. This group of girls chose that organization to support their friend Avery who has diabetes.

“I felt so good to get all of those crafts made and on display,” Avery said. “It was stressful but it was worth it.”

Simultaneously, there was a sale going on one table over raising money for Autism Awareness. This was also a student effort run by three Patton Panthers. The students handmade and sold over fifty ribbons and pins at fifty cents a piece, and collected many other donations to bring in over $100 for Autism Awareness. 

“I am happy that I can help my brother,” one student, Bethany said. Bethany has a brother with Autism, and her two friends, Shyia Sood and Sammie Alcaro, pitched in to help with the entire effort.

April is Autism Awareness month, so the campaign made even more sense.

Both philanthropic groups will make their donations soon, for a total of almost $400 for the American Diabetes Association and Autism Awareness.

Team Autism Awareness

Shyla Sood

Sammie Alcaro

Bethany Reed

Team 1D – American Diabetes Association

Lauren Rocks

Clare Corley

Avery Born

Giada Whetter

Molly Johnson