Atlanta high schoolers knit for a cause

By Gracie Bonds Staples

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

When the last bell rings and the last assignment is complete, they head down the hallway to Ms. Dillard’s classroom.

Until a few months ago, knitting was old school to these students at Atlanta's Carver Early College High School.

But when they heard about what Ms. Dillard wanted to do, they signed on. It didn’t matter that, with few exceptions, none of them had a clue what to do with yarn and a knitting needle.

Knitting for the Needy was something they could loop into.

Catrina Dillard came up with the idea about the same time her sister-in-law was in a fight with cancer. After a few rounds with chemotherapy, Melanie Dillard was bald and her head was cold.

An art instructor at Carver, Catrina Dillard knitted her a hat. Then it hit her that there were others out there with the same need.

“Last year I told students about the idea and it morphed into knitting hats and scarves for the needy,” she said.

At first, about a dozen or so students, mostly girls, met once a week for as many as five hours to knit the cold-weather garments for area homeless shelters.

The thought of getting in some community service hours was especially appealing to sophomore Sha’Bria Johnson.

“But even without the hours, I’d do it,” said Sha'Bria. “I’ll do it as long as someone outside has a chance of being warm.”

Learning to knit was frustrating at first but she finally caught on. Now she's on her fourth scarf.

“It’s very engaging,” she said of the art. “When you start you just can’t stop. It’s fun.”

Sha'Bria wasn’t the only club member with no prior knitting experience. Tylencia Harvey, 15, had none either. In fact, the majority of the nearly 78 club members had never knitted before.

A few students could crochet and were more than happy to share that skill with their teacher.

“If they’ve already learned to knit, they can meet over lunch,” said Dillard. “It’s great. It’s given us a lot of time to bond and sit and talk about boys, their dreams, what they want to do when they grow up and how to get there.”

Recently a dozen or so sophomores gathered for an after-school session reminiscent of old home economics classes, with Dillard flitting around teaching basic stitches like the knit and purl.

Like Dillard, who learned to knit from her mom who learned to knit from her mom, some of the students are learning a family tradition.

Adriana Sanchez learned to knit last summer while visiting her aunt in Mexico.

Instead of using knitting needles, the 16-year-old's aunt taught her using a loom.

Since joining the club, she has learned to knit with needles.

“I’m on my third scarf,” she said.

To date, club members have knitted 24 scarves and matching hats.

Students are learning to work together and persevere, when they get really frustrated.

“They’re very supportive,” said Dillard. “When people want to quit, they tell them don’t give up. I’ll help you.”

Sha'Bria and Adriana already see knitting not just as a gift that helps but as a gift that loves, too.

They all agree a stitch in time can warm a lot of people. There’s only one problem, said Dillard. They are just about out of yarn and knitting needles.

To help, send contributions to Dillard: C/O Carver Early College High School, 55 Mcdonough Blvd. Atlanta,Ga. 30315