Eighth-grader Mackenzie Ostermeyer perfects the folds on her origami crane. Nearly 500 of them have been made in an effort to raise funds for Japanese relief funds at Moody Junior High School. St. Clair County High School is running a similar fundraiser.

In Japan, a garland of 1,000 origami paper cranes is a simple of hope and luck. Women are given garlands of 1,000 cranes on their wedding day to symbolize 1,000 years of happiness in their marriages, and an ancient legend promises a wish to come true for anyone who folds 1,000 paper cranes.

In St. Clair County, the garland is a gesture of goodwill toward an earthquake-shaken nation devastated by aftershocks.

Students at Moody Junior High School and St. Clair County High School in Odenville are in the process of raising funds and, perhaps, a little bit of luck, for the Japanese people. For each $1 donated, a crane is being added to their garlands, with money going to the American Red Cross for relief efforts.

“Our bookkeeper, Ms. [Beverly] Cromer, saw something about the cranes on Flickr, read about the project and thought it would be a good fit for us. She pitched me the idea and I thought it was great, so I pitched it to the reading and art teachers, who also thought it was great,” Moody Junior High Principal Cassandra Taylor said.

Reading and art classes at MJHS are adding a crane to the garland for each $1 donated by teachers, students and members of the community. So far, Taylor said the school has raised nearly $500.

“The students are very excited, because they think it’s very sad with all the aftershocks,” Taylor said. “I think it’s a great way to give our kids a connection to the global community. For them, it seems so far away and so removed that this brings it closer to home.  Teenagers get a bum rap, but we have some very compassionate, giving students.”

St. Clair County High School is also operating a similar fundraiser.

Anyone who wishes to donate is encouraged to bring funds to the front office of either school.