Talson and Fernando
Beginning this year, students at Crossroads were given the opportunity to earn a community service credit for their transcripts. In order to do that, they were required to complete 75 hours of service. One of the ways students were able to accomplish that, was to serve with us here in the Project 479 room. Talson and Fernando were two students who reached their goal and we want to celebrate them!
Talson was a man of many trades and was willing to do anything he could to be of help. He assisted with everything from set up and tear down of our Christmas Marketplace to being willing to humbly serve his fellow classmates drinks and snacks from our coffee bar. Watching him grow in confidence as he accomplished each task and stepped out of his comfort zone to serve people was a blessing to us. We are so proud of him and his hard work.
Fernando came to us to earn a credit and he did, but he also found a spark! He did a fantastic job taking his time and beautifully painting our wood cutouts celebrating the two high schools in Rogers. Reaching his goal was important, but for us, seeing him find something he truly enjoyed and took great pride in was just as important. We are incredibly proud of him as well.
Servants Heart
January 2019
This young man is working hard to get his community service hours in and gain a local credit. He is preparing quilts for the Ronald McDonald house and other local organizations focused on helping at-risk children. He is learning new skills and has a willingness to go the extra mile. He is joyful, kind, and is self motivated. We appreciate how he has taken this community service project and owned it. His servant heart is big for helping others. He is so loved.
Ruthie
December 2018
Ruthie is an incredible young woman who will be graduating in December. We will miss her joyful, energetic, and zany spirit in the Project Room. There is never a dull moment when she is in the room. She encourages and motivates other students and is the “Strong woman’s Influence you need.” (her words! But truth right there!)
Ruthie was once an orphan in Haiti. She recalls being envious of a friend who got the opportunity to go to school, by the hard labor of her mother. So it is indeed an exciting time as she realizes her dream of graduating from school.
Basket weaving and crochet is a big part of Haitian culture so Ruthie learned to crochet at a young age. She did not learn to crochet with yarns until she came to the US. She crocheted with plarn (plastic strips). She recalls making a backpack.
She has put those skills to work this year for Project 479’s Christmas Market. She has created makeup bags, head warmers, purses, and character hats. They are not only unique, but skillfully done.
Wherever life takes her after graduation, you can be sure that Ruthie will being energy and joy to those around her. She is a warrior and a world changer!
Finding the Spark
October 2018
The precious young man on the left, the one with the lime green ukulele, his name is Greg. Music is his spark. It's the thing that makes him tick, motivates him, brings him joy, and causes him to feel a deep sense of purpose. He brings the gift of song and music into our room and our lives daily. He is so gifted. He plays the ukulele and the guitar upside down and left-handed, because thats how he taught himself to play. He loves to sing and loves when others sing along. He also loves teaching us and his classmates how to play and he is an incredibly patient and focused teacher. Music is Greg's spark. We are blessed because he found it! What is YOUR spark? Find it like Greg did, and it will not only fill your life with purpose and passion, it will bless others along the way.
Cake Decorating
March 2018
We had the BEST time teaching the students how to make frosting, make fondant, and decorate a cake!!! And they had the best time learning! It was an absolute blast! So fun! Looking forward to more lessons like this one. Please visit our Facebook page for more pictures.
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
December 2017
These talented students have been working so hard all semester on their own unique handcrafted products. They can not wait to be able to share them with you! The products that they have created are the kind of quality you would see at a craft fair. These students are among the greatest people we have ever had to privilege of knowing. We are so proud of them, not only because of all their hard work but because of who they are! Please consider coming to the 6th Annual Christmas Bazaar on Wednesday, December 6th from 2-6pm at the Crossroads Learning Center. Help give back during this holiday season, as 100% of the money goes directly to the students and their families!
TuTu Excited
October 2017
We are "tutu" excited to be able to introduce you to Crystal. This sweet intelligent young lady is working hard on Heritage High School Spirit Tutus! They are as fabulous as she is. We are so proud of her dedication and focus, as well as the quality of her product. Get into the school spirit and purchase one today. She will also customize orders to fit your specific school needs. Contact us at lifeskillsproject479@gmail.com to order or to find out more about how you can support Crystal and her business endeavors! We look forward to hearing from you!
New Year New School
September 2017
We are so excited to get this new year started in Crossroads High School's brand new building! What a joy it has been to see faces of students and teachers we know and love, and to also be able to meet some new faces! Welcome to this amazing New Year, New School 2017-18! We can't wait to see what this new year brings.
These Two!!!
May 2017
Meet Tony and Isaac! These two young men are the best of the best. They bring us laughter and joy every single day. They are respectful, kind, funny, and very talented. They are focused on being the best they can be and being successful in everything they do! They are currently making wooden lawn games such as Yard Yahtzee (Yardzee) and Corn Hole. Their work is quality and done with excellent craftsmanship. If you are interested in purchasing a lawn game from these amazing young men, email us at lifeskillsproject479@gmail.com.
Laughter is a part of Love
March 2017
These two young men are a joy to be around! Whenever their class comes in to work on projects you know you will hear all of the great life stories they have experienced. Building relationship consists of spending time, great conversation and laughing a lot. Through the creative process they have learned about their character, what uniquely makes them who they are. They have shared their goals and what's important to them, because they are important!
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Featured Student Story of the Month
January 2017
The 4th Annual Christmas Bazaar is Monday December 19th from 1:00pm-6:00pm in the commons of the Annex. (2922 South 1st Street Rogers, Arkansas 72758) We look forward to seeing you all there. These students and young artisans have worked so hard on some amazing quality products. Come expecting to purchase some beautiful items, ranging from adorable ornaments to some quality pieces of furniture! When you support these young artisans and entrepreneurs in this community, you are supporting the future of this community. Let's work together to make this Christmas extra special for these students and their families.
Cups Cups and More Cups
November 2016
Every day, every student gets a cup with a special word and message just for them. All these cups represent a child. All the numbers and data generated from this room aren't just numbers and data...they are children and young adults, special people with amazing personalities, potential, and purpose. They are gifts and blessings, joys and delights. They are full of laughter and fun. They are focused and respectful. They are valuable beyond measure and worth so much more than they could ever know. We love them. Every single one of them. It is our honor to serve them, see them, and work with them on a daily basis.
Christina the Fashion Designer
October 2016
Meet Christina. This girl amazes us. She learned to sew LAST WEEK and she is already one of the BEST seamstresses we have ever known. That is no exaggeration. She is clearly gifted and it is obvious that fashion design is her spark! It is such a joy and an honor to watch her excel in leaps and bounds in what she loves to do. She is currently sewing a dress that is 100% her original design! It is incredible in both quality and artistic design. Watch our social media for her finished product. And watch the runaway for her future designs! Meet Christina, the coolest fashion designer we have ever met.
Danny Boy
September 2016
Meet Danny. He is the proud owner of Deras Inc. He builds furniture out of pallets and refurbished wood. The quality, stability, and craftsmanship in his work is unmatched. He builds anything from end tables, dog houses, and decorative tables to beautiful custom orders. He is professional, focused, and commited to his growing business. We are so proud of him... of who he is and who he is going to be. We are proud of his hardwork and his determined focus to build a lasting business, better his craft, and improve his future. It is our joy to watch his confidence soar as he does what he loves to do! We love you, Danny!
Sierra at the Spring Bazaar
May 2016
Meet Sierra (pictured here on the left). She has been working in the Life Skills Room consistently for a few months now. She is a hard worker that is diligent and very focused on the task at hand. We are very proud of all she has accomplished this Spring. Sierra has created her own brand called "Mama's Aprons". These beautiful aprons sold at our first ever Spring Bazaar here at the Annex. There are many different types of prints and fabric styles to choose from for your gardening or cooking needs. Please help be a part of the continual support of the young entrepreneur's of our local community. You can do this by keeping up with Project479 and all of our updates here on our website. Also, visit our facebook page where we are featuring many of our students and their products that are for sale. As always, thank you for your support!
Miss Imelda
April 2016
Imelda is such a joy, and has grown a lot over the year. She has been working very hard making some great products for the Spring Bazaar. One of which is a "Picnic Pillow/Blanket." It is a blanket that you can fold into a pillow to take on the go! The second item she has been working on is the "Tooth Fairy" pillow that is simply adorable! She is a master on the serger and is great at sewing. Imelda is dedicated to making her product the best it can be. We are so excited for the community to come out and see what she has created. Please join us at this years 1st Annual Spring Bazaar to see all of the great items Imelda and all the other students have to offer!
This is Jose.
February 2016
This is Jose. He is as sweet as he is cute! He is making decorative owl pillows out of scrap pieces of fabric. He has such a knack for finding just the right eclectic blend of fabric textures and colors. Last weekend he was able to take home one of our spare sewing machines. We taught him how to thread it, fill the bobbin, and use it before he took it home. He was so excited and just couldn’t believe he got to take it with him. We told him he could keep it at his house until the bazaar in April and you would have thought we had given him the world. On Monday, he came in beaming and told us that he had made five owls and that his mom was so proud of him! We are proud of you too, Jose! We. Are. Proud. Of. You. Too!!!!
Ronald McDonald House
July 2015
This summer we were honored to be able to donate approximately 200 quilts and pillows, all handmade by the students of the Annex, to our local Ronald McDonald House at Mercy Hospital in Rogers! These students' giving hearts and their willingness to serve others are inspiring.
Our Seniors
May 2015
These young people have brought us so much joy and laughter! To say they will be missed is an understatement. They are so loved, valued, and important. Their futures are bright. They have overcome so much to get to here in their life and we are so proud of them!
Restored Chair Project
April 2015
We are once again finishing up the year with our Restored Chair Project! We look forward to updating you on how much this project impacts the students that are participating this year. They are working diligently and efficiently to put their best work forward. Our room is full of deconstructed chairs, vibrant paint colors, eclectic fabric, sandpaper, humming sewing machines, leaders, managers, and laughing students. It's so much fun!