Every year during the Art II and Art III class Ms. Midkiff assigns a stuffed animal project. In this project, first graders from Stony Mill Elementary draw their own monsters and send them over to the high school where students pick a monster to create. Each kid had various designs ranging from simple monsters to very weird and complex ones. 

Some students had monsters with multiple eyes and limbs, making it a bit more challenging to sew it all together. “The monster I had was two different colors, making it hard for me to sew, ” senior Mollie Hanks said.

Others were challenged for different reasons. Junior Laila Freeze says “It took me a while to make it. It was easy, but I was out for half the project causing me to be behind.”

Despite the challenges the students faced, many enjoyed being able to go out of their comfort zone and try something new. Sewing a stuffed animal is a hard thing to do especially if the person has no experience with sewing at all. Other students who have done this in the past helped others with making the monsters, showing true teamwork among peers.

“Some of us grow up with stuffed animals that we keep for many years so having the opportunity to make something a child is able to cherish for years is very special for the creator and the child who receives it,” senior Victoria Wade said. 

This is the fourth year Midkiff hosted this art project. She enjoys it because it’s something that the child can keep forever. Eventually, Midkiff wants to work with third graders and create clay monsters in addition to the stuffed animals. “I just think it would be so cute for a parent to have their kid’s monster on their work desk or at home and they can say their kid created that monster,” Midkiff said