Briana Knight's Senior Project
to Benefit "First Place School"
November 3, 2003
Brier, Washington
(coordinating personal input from 62 students, K-6th grade)
 
             
 
front of quilt
(behind light)
front of quilt
(in front of light)
 
back of quilt
(front of light)
back of quilt
(front of light)
 
quilt detail

quilt detail
Press release: 05/19/04:
Mountlake Terrace Senior making a difference and proving that
"it's still hip to be square."
Proving that it still can be hip to be square, senior Briana Knight of Mountlake Terrace High School has created a 62-square, hand-designed patchwork quilt with the students of First Place School in Seattle. The quilt project was Knight's senior project for graduation and will be showcased for purchase in First Place School's annual Detief Schremp auction/fundraiser this June 19, 2004.
             
Knight chose this as her senior project because she wanted to contribute to the community and have a project where she learned something totally new...
  "I enjoy working with art and had never really made a quilt. The challenge of designing and learning another art form such as quilting and tying it to a community cause was a good fit." Because Knight is anticipating a major in education and loves art and science, she also knew this would be an excellent opportunity to work with children.  
During the planning stages of her senior project in June of 2003 and before the end of her junior year of high school, Knight traveled to First Place School and worked individually with each of the 62 students to create 62 unique quilt squares. For those not familiar with this school, First Place is a nonprofit social service agency with special focus on children and families in crisis or transition. Students were encouraged to create a square about their favorite things. The back of the quilt also features each handprint of every student. Being a bit under pressure because the high school varsity softball season had just ended and summer select traveling softball was almost underway, Knight had three weeks to work with the students. The remaining challenge during the summer was to tie this wonderful collage of color and creativity together into a design that would sell in the June 2004 First Place auction. With a competitive summer and fall softball travel schedule that was underway while being recruited for collegiate softball, Knight was able to complete the quilt for her senior presentation this past November of 2003.
             
Knight juggles a very competitive lifestyle. While at Mountlake Terrace, she has played both varsity soccer and softball with Wesco South First Team and All Area honors while maintaining a rigorous advanced placement course load, advanced sports medicine classes/hours, and honors in various art and science classes. She is her senior class vice president, along with previous associated student body roles, and was Mountlake Terrace's national female candidate for the "Wendy's High School Heisman" Award. She is also one of 16 Edmonds School District Scholar Athlete candidates for 2004 to be honored this May 26, 2004. Briana Knight signed her national letter of intent this April to play Division I college softball with East Tennessee State, currently ranked the number one public university in Tennessee, originally founded in 1911 as a School of Education and currently ranked the third highest medical school in the United States for rural and internal medicine, per US News and World Report rankings. Knight plans on majoring in education in biology with a minor in art and coaching.

To view this fascinating quilt and community project, please visit The Calico Basket in Lynnwood before the quilt makes its way to auction on June 19, 2004. The annual Detlef Schremp First Place Auction will take place at the Seattle Sheraton at 5:00 PM on June 19 and those wishing to attend should call First Place School at 206-323-6715. Mentors and evaluators for Briana Knight's senior project include Vickie McKenney, owner of The Calico Basket, Kathy Tuura, and Claradell Shedd. Mountlake Terrace teachers involved with Knight's senior project planning and presentation are Ms. Kimberly Nelson and Ms. Molly Galbreath. The Calico Basket is located at 4114 198 Street SW, Lynnwood, WA 98036, mapquest link: map or call 425-774-6446 for directions. To view this quilt on line, http://66.12.65.30/~claradell/brianaquilt/index.html
             
Great job, Briana!