SURPRISE, AZ – Three Valley eighth graders are doing what they can to bring hope and happiness to Japan.
The students saw the devastation Japan sustained over the past few weeks and decided they could help. They decided to make 1,000 paper cranes to send overseas.
“I thought it was a good idea to show support because the tsunami just happened,” said Nicholas Bell.
The cranes symbolize more than just a colorful work of art. Hannah Raby, one of the three students, remembered the story of Sadako Sasaki, a Japanese girl who had radiation poisoning in the 1950s. She was told if she made 1,000 cranes, she would overcome her illness. She died when she was about to reach 700.
It was that story that led these three to make the cranes, which they will be sending to Japan in a matter of days. They also are making an additional 1,000 cranes to donate to their school.
“We want them to know we’re here for them and we’re thinking about them,” Raby said.
They said they have spent dozens of hours on the project and are glad there’s something they can do.
Japan may have sustained massive amounts of damage since the tsunami and massive earthquake, but will be getting help from these three students as they send over 1,000 cranes of hope.