What started at the State FFA Convention in 2018 has now evolved into a large-scale service project that the FFA program and several Career and Technical and Education students are involved in. Students Bailey Kennedy, Gavin Bicksler and Lizzie Lilyea take great pride in their work and note the experience as something that has helped their personal growth and maturity.
Lilyea, president of the Penn Yan Academy FFA Chapter, has done several trips with Mrs. Bossard to work with the Auburn Chapter, which is where the whole project came to fruition.
“The thing that I love is it gets many different kinds of students to all come together for a greater purpose,” said Lilyea, who is a senior and in her fourth year with the program. “Delivering beds and doing other services has made me more mature and empathetic to other people's experiences.”\
A collaboration that started beyond county lines now directly impacts children and families in Yates County and, with the growth of the program, current and future builds will be even easier to complete as the school now has many of the jigs and tools necessary to make the beds.
“Some of our members did a bed build service project while at the convention with the Utica Sleep in Heavenly Peace chapter,” said Bossard. “In 2024 we wanted to do a large service project with CTE students in Ag and Tech classes, so I reached out to local chapters and the Auburn chapter got back saying they would do a 'mobile' bed build with us and come to the Academy during FFA week.”
With interest in the program quickly gaining traction there are no signs of slowing down now. The future looks promising, not only for the students involved, but the children and families on the receiving end.
“Over the past three years we’ve completed 65 beds and five sets of headboards,” noted Bossard. “This past year we became a delivery hub for the Auburn chapter so we can now deliver beds to families within the Penn Yan area, meaning the beds we make stay in our community.”
Their most recent delivery took place right as summer was winding down, allowing three children to sleep in new beds in anticipation of their first day of school.
Through their partnership with Sleep in Heavenly Peace, each bed delivery includes everything a child needs; a bed, mattress, sheets, blankets, and a pillow.
“Students look forward to doing the bed build every year in CTE classes and I have several students who help with seeking donations and with bed deliveries,” continued Bossard. “This project has been awesome to be a part of and bring to the Penn Yan community,” she ended.
Families in need of a bed can apply through the Sleep in Heavenly Peace website at shpbeds.org/apply. The program is also always looking for donations of new twin-sized bedding and pillows to help complete future bed deliveries! Donations can be dropped off to Mrs. Bossard at Penn Yan Academy.