Colonial middle schoolers create ‘lily pads’ for children’s hospital

You can find more than 60 “lily pads” in St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, thanks to students from Colonial Middle School. A lily pad is a wooden base for a child’s IV pole that makes it easier to get around in the hospital while hooked up to an IV. “And they have designs on them, so it’s a little fun way for them to have options in the hospital, because they really don’t have a lot of choices,” said eighth grader Lilli Kasmen. The lily pad project is a joint effort between Colonial Middle School’s technology education and art departments and St. Christopher’s Child Life department. Students designed the lily pads using 3D modeling software in their technology class, then in art, they brainstormed and painted images. The lily pad project originated in Washington state by Nick Konkler, a high school cancer patient who saw a young girl struggling with her IV pole and vowed to make enough lily pads for everyone at the hospital. When he passed away, students in his shop class at school took up the charge to complete his goal. Said CMS art teacher Julie Horwitz, “They saw that not only were they affecting these young children at St. Christopher’s in their community, they’re continuing the project that Nick started, and are very connected with the idea of continuing his work.”