The Heart of St. Zachary Donna Dura, Des Plaines, Illinois Grade Level: 3rd

The Heart of St. Zachary bulletin board was a display outside the front office of our school throughout the month of February. Community members and parents visited the school during this month for our annual Open House to celebrate Catholic Schools Week. It was a definite eye-catcher!

How was it made? The red letters are attached to white round doilies. Each child in the school, from the 3 & 4 year olds in Pre-K to the 8th graders, was asked to decorate a small heart and then attach their school picture to the middle. We even got the teachers and other staff members to make a heart for our great display. These people are all really the heart of our school! The black construction paper background really helped to bring out the color of the display. The large heart in the center was made by taking a large red heart and then weaving alternating white and pink strips into the heart. I then made it a 3-D display by adding pillow fluff/stuffing inside the large heart before stapling it to the board. It was really nice and soft. Although we try to respect the hard work by keeping our hands to ourselves as we walk by various boards in the hallways, the 3-D puffy heart was sooooo. . . . . tempting. Even the teachers gave into the temptation, when the kids were not around, of course!