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Ten-year-old Nevada Connections Academy Student, Abigail Leavitt, is on a Mission to Thank our Vets, One Quilt at a Time

 

HENDERSON, NV, December 8, 2009—Nevada Connections Academy 6th grader, Abigail Leavitt, is only 10 years old but she can make a grown man cry. She has done so many times.

When she is not taking her lessons online from her home in Henderson, Nevada, Abigail volunteers her time making quilts and presenting them to veterans as part of the non-profit organization, Moms Love Quilts. So far Abigail, her mother Tami, and Irena Bell—the founder of the organization—have presented more than 1,000 quilts to veterans.

Abigail first started making quilts for veterans this past June when her mother asked her to paint a square for a quilt. Now Abigail visits schools and community organizations to give presentations on the importance of supporting our veterans. Abigail is also the official child presenter of the quilts for the organization. When bestowing a quilt upon a recipient, Abigail offers sincere and kind words of gratitude for their service. These words and the beautiful quilts have brought many heartfelt thanks and tears.

Abigail and Moms Love Quilts present lap quilts throughout the year, but Veteran’s Day is a particularly busy time of year for them. This year, during the week of Veteran’s Day, Abigail and other children presented more than 250 quilts. The recipients included Wounded Warriors -a group of injured veterans of today’s war, and many veterans from WWII and on, at the 6th Annual Inter-tribal Veterans’ Powwow in Las Vegas. They can be seen at www.vetquilts.com.

Abigail’s teacher, Mrs. Debora Schultz, wasn’t surprised to hear about the kindness and generosity. “Abigail is a great student,” she said. “But even more so, she is an incredible person.”

About Connections Academy

Connections Academy is a leading national provider of high-quality, highly accountable virtual public schools in fourteen states operated in partnership with charter schools, school districts, and state departments of education. Connections Academy schools deliver top quality, personalized education for students that combines certified teachers, a proven curriculum, technology tools, and community experiences to create a supportive and successful environment for children who want an individualized approach to education. In Connections Academy's Personalized Performance Learning® approach, students use daily lesson plans and curriculum materials provided by Connections Academy. Teachers develop a learning plan for each student, utilizing a proprietary, web-based Learning Management System to deliver, track, and administer the learning. In 2009-10, Connections Academy will serve students in Arizona, California (Southern and Central), Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Minnesota, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Connections Academy offers grades K through 12, though some schools do not offer all grades. Connections Academy also serves K-12 students in all states through its private virtual school, National Connections Academy. For more information, call 800-382-6010 or visit www.connectionsacademy.com.