Jennifer Chase is a teacher at the online public school Colorado Preparatory Academy and has been with K12 online learning for seven years. Besides tailored academics for students, the virtual academies offer a wide variety of clubs to give opportunities for students to engage with each other and their local communities. Jennifer has also been the K12 Quilting Club sponsor for the last six years.

Alycia Carmin is the volunteer CO representative for non-profit, Quilts of Valor Foundation and a former K12 Learning Coach. Jennifer and Alycia met when their sons needed advanced math classes that their traditional bricks and mortar school couldn’t offer. Together Jennifer and Alycia work with students, support their handmade efforts, and foment group dynamics and cohesion as they move toward the award of the annual quilt project to a deserving veteran in a special ceremony.

Like most of the online school clubs, this one leverages technology to bring together students and club sponsors, where decisions are made on quilt design, timing of individual squares submission, quilt construction, and all the skills and camaraderie to create one-of-a-kind quilts like the one featured above. When a service project touches so many, it leaves a real impression – this is about much more than quilting!

For information on virtual online public schools in your area, go to www.K12.com/GRADE and select your state of legal residence for options. For more information about Quilts of Valor, go to www.qovf.org.

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