DAYTON DAILY NEWS PATH FORWARD
Maternal and infant mortality go hand in hand. As part of the Dayton Daily News’ Path Forward: Race and Equity project, this Sunday’s edition will include articles digging into our region’s high rate of Black infant mortality and solutions to the problem.
When it became apparent that face masks would be a necessity last spring, Centerville teacher Jessie Stanley got to work.
After tracking down fabric and working around her remote teaching schedule, Stanley experimented with patterns and styles. In April, when reusable face masks were difficult to find, she was contacted by a restaurant in Cincinnati that wanted to order masks for their servers. During summer break, she averaged sewing 15 to 30 masks each day.
“I found that sewing helped me manage my anxiety and kept me busy since I was unable to do most of my typical summer activities,” said Stanley, who has now made more than 1,200 masks.
When school buildings reopened this fall, Stanley, who has taught English language arts at Tower Heights Middle School for the past 18 years, found that her creative face masks were a way to connect with her students. She began offering masks as a reward that students could earn through their positive classroom behavior.
“Some students really enjoy the individuality that they can show with their masks,” she said. “We have ones with ballerinas, video game controllers, animals, sports teams, different colors.”
Overall, Stanley said her middle school students have gained some important skills during the pandemic, such as feeling comfortable reaching out to teachers and navigating multiple platforms and resources, but they still do just want to be kids. Many children are struggling with transitions and new anxieties, so teachers and other students are paying more attention and caring more for one another.
And who knows? A colorful face mask highlighting something a student enjoys just might bring a little positivity into their day.