Hurricane Creek and Collegeville Elementary’s Gifted & Talented students took learning far beyond the classroom this semester - and sent warmth all the way to Alaska.
As part of their Iditarod unit, students explored deeper-level academic content through science, reading, math, geography and history tied to the iconic 1,000-mile dog sledding race. The project ended with a hands-on community service challenge: making durable fleece blankets for sled dogs competing in the 2026 Iditarod.
Students measured, cut and stitched each blanket to precise race specifications. “We had these yardsticks and the blankets had to be 40 by 40,” one student explained.
Each blanket also carried a handwritten note. “When you send those blankets up there, the handlers and the vets actually read the messages to the dogs,” GT Teacher Cherie Grist shared. One student’s read, “No matter if you win first place, you’ll always be first place to me.”
But the story didn’t end in Alaska.
“We had so many blankets left over that we decided, let’s donate them to our local animal shelter,” Grist said. In total, students delivered 75 blankets, plus 15-20 cat blankets and toys to the Bryant Animal Shelter.
For many students, that was their favorite part. “Going to the shelter was really fun,” one student said. “We got to hold puppies.” Another student reflected, “Helping animals just makes me feel like I’m helping another person. And it makes me feel good.”
“It was a real-world example of how you can give a little to impact somebody,” Grist said. “This world is so negative and so cynical right now - it was good for these kids to participate in something they feel they can contribute to.”
From the dogs racing across Alaska to the animals waiting for homes here in Bryant, these students proved what being Bold. Brave. Bryant. really looks like.