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From Monroe County to Africa: Pocono Mountain students sew, send hundreds of dresses

Pocono Mountain West freshman Lakia Joseph sews a dress that will be sent to Africa. Over the last 12 years, students from the school have sewn hundreds of dresses to send to Africa.
Sarah Hofius Hall
/
WVIA News
Pocono Mountain West freshman Lakia Joseph sews a dress that will be sent to Africa. Over the last 12 years, students from the school have sewn hundreds of dresses to send to Africa.

Sewing machines hummed at Pocono Mountain West High School. In the Creative Fashion I class, students stitched a project that will have an impact in another part of the world.

For the last 12 years, Pocono Mountain West students have made dresses for girls in Africa. With this semester’s dresses included, students will have sewn 800 dresses over the last dozen years.

The dresses start with a pillowcase.
Sarah Hofius Hall
/
WVIA News
The dresses start with a pillowcase.

“I was looking for a project that not only incorporated our learning objectives, but also a service component,” said teacher Bridget Cook, who started the project. “They learn how to measure, cut and also repurpose items because they are made out of pillowcases. So it met all of our needs, and we were really excited to do it.”

Joanne Kutra started teaching fashion classes two years ago and began helping Cook with the dresses.

“I love having the projects that incorporate giving back to the communities, whether it's local or far away, like this project is,” Kutra said. “I think it kind of gives the kids something to not only put on their transcripts, but kind of something to think about.”

The teachers collect new and gently used pillowcases throughout the year, relying on donations and trips to thrift stores.

Pocono Mountain West teacher Joanne Kutra works with a student in class this week.
Sarah Hofius Hall
/
WVIA News
Pocono Mountain West teacher Joanne Kutra works with a student in class this week.

In Kutra’s class this week, she explained the process of creating the dresses: starting with a pillowcase, cutting one end, cutting arm holes, hemming and adding straps. The finished work is sent to Little Dresses for Africa, a charity based in Michigan, which then distributes the dresses in countries throughout the continent.

In class this week, students traced patterns for the armholes, folded bias tape and ironed the fabric. Junior Lilly Roggatz has completed two dresses so far.

“I really like the project,” she said. “I think that's pretty nice, to think about other people, not just do something just for yourself … I made something and people can actually wear it. That's pretty cool.

Freshman Lakia Joseph guided her pillowcase, tie-dyed by art students, through the sewing machine. She knows that what she makes in Monroe County will be used by someone who needs it thousands of miles away.

“I kind of feel I'm proud of myself,” she said.

Donations of new or gently used pillowcases can be dropped off at the Pocono Mountain West High School office, 181 Panther Lane, Pocono Summit.

Sarah Hofius Hall worked at The Times-Tribune in Scranton since 2006. For nearly all of that time, Hall covered education, visiting the region's classrooms and reporting on issues important to students, teachers, families and taxpayers.

You can email Sarah at sarahhall@wvia.org