News

Oct 14, 2024

Why Cimarron Middle School teachers helped build beds for kids - Parker Chronicle

In the days leading up to the new school year, teachers often spend their time making their classrooms a positive environment for kids to learn, but for faculty at Cimarron Middle School in Parker,

In the days leading up to the new school year, teachers often spend their time making their classrooms a positive environment for kids to learn, but for faculty at Cimarron Middle School in Parker, they took a break from planning to build bed frames for children who otherwise might not have a bed.

At seven stations outside of the school, teachers measured, cut and sanded wood. Around 75 people in all came together, reaching their goal of building 40 twin bed frames.

As the teachers chatted about the upcoming school year, Principal Chris Zimmerman worked a little at each station.

“Our staff really deeply care about our kids,” said Zimmerman. “I think one of the things that would break all our hearts would be knowing that some of our kids sleep on the floor and don’t get a good night’s rest every night.

The school – and teachers – enlisted the help of the Rotary Club of Cherry Creek Valley to dub the community service projects.

“Teachers had said, ‘When they do a project like this, they have a better school year,’” said Cheryl O’Brien, the local Rotary youth services director.

The club also pitched in $1,500 to help fund the project.

It’s become a familiar site at the school. A few years ago, teachers and staff helped build bicycles for kids in the community, even teaching a few how to ride the bikes. For the beds project, the school partnered with the non-profit Sleep in Heavenly Peace, an organization dedicated to building beds for kids in need.

The organization began with the aim of building one bed for a single family. Now, a decade later, it has grown into a national organization delivering thousands of beds to youth.

About 5,200 beds are needed for kids nationally, according to the group, with approximately 1,660 in the Denver area.

Once the beds are built, including bunk beds, the mattresses are provided by Sleep in Heavenly Peace. There is an ongoing need for twin size sheets and other bedding items, which students at the middle school aim to collect at the beginning of the school year.

Students at the school have a young Rotary Club called Interact that O’Brien often helps. The student club is holding a bedding drive to collect new comforters, sheets and pillows.

The Denver Sleep in Heavenly Peace chapter aims to build more beds this year. They will be taking part in the 6th annual Bunks Across America Build Day on Sept. 14. Lumber, tools and “know how to help” volunteers are provided. Locations can be found at shpbeds.org/chapter/co-denver/.

By having a bed of their own, kids begin to thrive in their everyday routines, said O’Brien.

“Sleep is one of the most important things we can do for our health and also it’s one of the most important things we can do for our learning,” said O’Brien. “If we can help another kiddo with that, the impact is every single day.”

Learn more about ways to help at https://shpbeds.org/make-donation/.