As the school year came to a close in Ankeny, Iowa, second-grade teacher Kim Rohlf prepared for her retirement by creating handmade quilts for every student in her class at Westwood Elementary School. Rohlf, who’s ending a 35-year teaching career, spent months designing and sewing the personalized gifts before her final day in the classroom.
Each quilt has been tailored to the individual student, with designs inspired by birthdays, holidays, dinosaurs, sports, and other personal interests. She says the project brought together her love of teaching and quilting, while student Gabrielle says every quilt reflects the recipient’s personality and includes special details chosen by their teacher.
In addition to the quilts, Rohlf wrote personal notes to each student. As her day approached, she said the experience of saying goodbye became more emotional than she expected. She’s excited to begin a new chapter in her life, and says that her students made leaving the classroom more difficult than she had anticipated.
Source: SUNNY SKYZ
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