Fourth and fifth grade students at Fraser Woods Montessori School compiled “Brian’s Bags” for individuals experiencing homelessness on February 14.

These bags, as part of the Brian O’Connell Homelessness Project, are full of hygienic necessities, food and gift cards for food, first aid kits, and other items that may be useful for a person living exposed to the elements. They are intended to be distributed in Waterbury by the project.

Gina Tryforos, assistant head of school at Fraser Woods, said the fourth and fifth grade combined class usually makes sandwiches for St Vincent DePaul Mission of Waterbury for their monthly service initiative.

“It’s nice once a year to change it up a little bit,” said Director of Montessori Education and upper-elementary teacher Karen Sankey about the day’s activity.

Students each brought a collection of single-item donations, which were isolated in separate piles on tables in the classroom. The students were released to carefully place one of each into plastic bags, then tie them shut. Soon, the assembly was completed, and the cart before the door was full.

“What a good way to spend Valentine’s Day, right? Doing nice things for others,” Sankey said to the students, meeting on the carpet.

This prompt was met with a chorus of consensus, and students asked when they might do this again. However, when Sankey asked her students whether they liked making sandwiches or bags more, the class was split.

Reporter Noelle Veillette can be reached at noelle@thebee.com.