Around Campus: Student Project Gives Back to Jane Goodall Institute

"What began as a class assignment turned into a collaboration with clothing designer Isaiah Shayle. Fifth Grade Science Teacher Victoria Bergman assigned her students a research project to be displayed on hoodies or a poster. Although she had given this assignment at previous schools, this year was its inaugural run at FWCD.

The project kicked off with the fifth graders researching a scientist of their choosing. Each student had to have a different scientist, which meant 83 scientists were featured. “It’s important that students see scientists as people with interests, personalities, and family dynamics that they also experience. Once a student can relate to a scientist in that way, they start to see that they have what it takes to be one, too,” explained Bergman.

Students had a month to research and decorate their hoodies, which needed to be wearable and include 10 interesting facts about their scientist.

For Sofia Grace Perkins, this assignment became something special. Her dad, Bryan, worked with her on the project and, with the help of family friend and designer Isaiah Shayle, the trio created a hoodie featuring Jane Goodall. Inspired by Sofia Grace’s design, Shayle decided to design a similar sweatshirt to benefit a charity. The sweatshirt was available for purchase with all proceeds going to the Jane Goodall Institute in celebration of Goodall’s 90th birthday. Perkins and Shayle set out to raise $10,000 from the limited-time sweatshirt and they did! Who knew a class project could become a relevant wearable fashion piece?