Berwick High students do their part to save Australia's animals

Over 12 million acres have been burned in the historic wildfires across Australia, leaving approximately 1 billion animals without refuge.
At Berwick High School, students in B.J. Castaneda’s World Geography class learned about the Australian area and are keeping up with the news of the wildfires. Castaneda said the kids wanted to do something to help, so she went on the hunt for a way they could do just that.
“Most organizations helping the Australian area require a monetary donation, and as a school, that isn’t something we can really do,” Castaneda said. “But we found out that baby marsupials, especially kangaroos and koalas, are being found alive inside their mothers that died due to the fire.
“We learned that rescuers need pouches to put these babies in since the baby is used to that security.”
Castaneda presented the idea to her classes to begin bringing in materials needed to make marsupial mittens and joey pouches and the students responded. Students brought in fabrics, donated sweatshirts and other materials needed to craft the pouches.
“Not just any fabric can be used inside the pouches because of the animal’s claws, but the students didn’t have to buy materials, a lot just donated things like old sweatshirts they already had,” Castaneda said.
Castaneda enlisted the family and consumer science class at Berwick High School to construct the pouches.
“There are two types of pouches, one that a person can hold, which helps with feeding purposes, and one that hangs,” Castaneda said.
The students certified in sewing through the family and consumer science course are handling the sewing portion, but there are a lot of steps in the creation of a finished pouch that other students are able to help complete.
Castaneda also needed a way to get these pouches in the hands of those that can use them.
She found a company named Barnhill Preserve in Ethel who is sending experienced animal care teams to help some of the Australian wildlife centers in an effort to save animals from the wildfires. The teams being sent by Barnhill Preserve are bringing medical supplies and the volunteers will be able to use the pouches the students are creating.
Berwick High School’s Assistant Principal, Noelle Lowrimore, utilized social media to spread the word about the project and people in the community brought in donations as well.
“We received donations like a whole pallet of water to help with dehydrated animals,” Castaneda said.
Castaneda is excited about the project and the student’s involvement with it. “This is a way for student’s to have global awareness and we are trying to do some good.”
The pouches were completed on Tuesday and will be sent to the Barnhill Preserve next week.