How A Morristown Preschool Taught Kids About Ukraine And Inspired Them To Help

MORRISTOWN, TN — It may be to explain the war between Russia and Ukraine to a young child. But Big Blue Marble Academy's preschool in Morristown found a way, while inspiring their students to help children overseas.

The founder of Big Blue Marble Academy, which operates more than 40 schools, has a longstanding connection with the Children's Charity Center in Ukraine. Nan Rikard's impact spanned from hosting orphaned children from the area to her own daughter's adoption.

Rikard shared that passion with Big Blue Marble Academy schools, including Morristown's.

A few months ago, students in the Morristown academy participated in the academy's "Blessing Blanket" Heart Project — an annual endeavor in which students make no-sew blankets, benefiting kids from the Children's Charity Center.

The project gave staff the opportunity to talk about what children in Ukraine have endured, while focusing on what they have in common with kids in a different corner of the world.

"We did not use the terms conflict or war with our students because those concepts are abstract to them," said Alyssa Coburn, Morristown's center director. "We did use terms like scared, afraid or unsafe. These are words that children can relate to and empathize with because they have all felt that way at some point in their lives."

Staff talked to the children about times they felt afraid or unsafe. The students were eager to offer ideas about how they handled those situations: "Tell your mommy." "Take a big, deep breath." "Sing your favorite song." "Hide under a blanket."

When students participated in the Blessing Blanket project, the Morristown center talked to kids about how their own blankets make them feel. Then they explained there are some children who don't have blankets to help them feel warm and safe — in a far-away country called Ukraine.

Rikard launched a nonprofit in 2014 called Global Children's Outreach, which aids the Ukraine Charity Center. Earlier this month, Big Blue Marble Academy launched a "Give from the Heart" fundraiser to provide "urgent support" to Ukrainian children.

"When we started the fundraiser, we reminded our students of the blankets they made and how some of those blankets were shipped to children in Ukraine," Coburn said. "We explained to our children that some things were happening in Ukraine that might make children feel scared or unsafe, and because those children have the blankets that they made for them, they might not feel as afraid or scared."

Big Blue Marble Academy's fundraiser culminated in $30,000 in 11 days for children in Ukraine, including $1,720 from the Morristown center.

"We can all learn a lot through empathy, understanding and giving to others in need," said Jeff Wahl, CEO of Big Blue Marble Academy. "I am very proud of our Heart projects, especially because our students learn at an early age that they have the ability to solve real-world problems and make meaningful contributions to the lives of others, helping them to grow into good neighbors and involved citizens with big hearts."