Starting on Feb. 14, 2013 I made origami hearts and put them in one of the girls' bathrooms in the school. I had intended for girls to take the hearts and, along with some tape and a Post-It note I provided, and stick them onto the lockers of the people they had crushes on. However, the girls took the hearts and left Post-It notes covering the entirety of the large bathroom mirror. They read everything from cheesy pick-up lines, to specific shout-outs to friends, to simply reading 'You are beautiful'.
They were empowering and it was an absolute stunning sight, the multi-coloured notes and origami hearts stuck all over the drab walls and mirrors, making it colourful and whimsical.
When I told my advisor that I had done it, she was so happy, and I went to the office where they had collected all the hearts and notes in the bathroom, and to this day I have them on a poster in my room.
This Valentine's Day, I planned ahead and made over 350 origami hearts. Again, there was a beautiful and uniting result of notes cluttering the entire mirror. I walked around the hallways and stuck hearts to random lockers with friends. I just wanted to speak out about this because it is effectively bringing together all the girls of Kelsey every Feb. 14, no matter what grade, race, sexual preference or social status.
Tess Rederburg
Frances Kelsey student