To celebrate the College for Kids program’s 32nd year, a senior education class constructed a quilt using the shirts from previous years.
“We’ve had all these T-shirts for years we collect each year in our closet,” administrative office assistant Mariza Olmos said. “[NW continuing education director] Susie Soto thought it would be a good idea to make them into a quilt. It was a collaborative effort between instructors and students.”
The class met to work on the quilt one day a week during the spring and fall semesters. It took a year to complete the project. Like all senior education classes, the quilting class is taught by volunteers.
“It was a curse,” Soto said. “We had a box of T-shirts that dated back to 1985. It was a brainchild of mine. I was thinking, ‘How could we showcase these cool T-shirts instead of letting them sit around gathering dust?’”
Soto said the idea to combine College for Kids and the senior education program came naturally because many senior students come back during the summer as College for Kids volunteers. The new project allowed instructors to teach their students new skills such as creating borders and replacing blank panels.
“I just put two and two together, and it became a beautiful thing,” she said. “I have the best view from my desk, especially because I’ve actually worn a few of those shirts.”
The quilt is on display in the NW continuing education office in WADM 1203A.
— Rhiannon Saegert
