Next-door neighbors, nurses, firefighters, coaches, siblings and more were the recipients of handmade and computer generated artistic awards created by Portola Valley School District students to show appreciation for their work.

This winter, for the 10th year in a row, TK-5 district students participated in the Bezos Family Foundation's annual "Students Rebuild" project that aims to rally children to address global challenges through creative projects. The theme this year? Honoring everyday heroes, or change-makers, people who make major contributions to the world. So far 190 district students, under the group name PVSD Cares, have submitted 223 pieces of art, raising $1,115. (PVSD Cares surpassed its goal of creating 200 awards.)

"It's something we should be doing all the time: recognizing the people who are helping out," said Sarrie Paguirigan, the district's design and innovation coach, who led the district's project. "Without those people where would we be? Nurses and doctors especially with COVID." She said the project is a good opportunity for students to show empathy for others.

Students could present an award in whatever way they chose some constructed awards out of recycled materials, while one student created an award within the game Minecraft. One student attached a rubber cleaning glove to a tea bag and other small items as an award for a helpful neighbor.

Ormondale School fourth grader Makena Bailey used a laser printer at home to create gears out of wood for Pagurigian for her teaching work and her father, David Bailey, for his work as a mechanical engineer (he makes robots for surgeries at Intuitive Surgical).

"It was really fun creating," Makena said.

Paguirigan kicked off the project with a week of lessons on criteria for being a change-maker. Then they picked people to honor — dead or alive, strangers or people in their own lives — and planned what their awards would look like. Once complete, students took photos of their awards to send to Students Rebuild.

Paguirigan teaches transitional kindergarten through fifth graders STREAM (science, technology, reading, art, engineering, mathematics). The lessons cover everything from using physical and technological tools such as 3D printers and projects that involve social and emotional learning themes.

For each award submitted to the project, the Bezos Family Foundation donates $5, up to $1 million, to organizations such as Donors Choose, Peace First and Creative Reaction Lab.

Student Rebuild, a collaborative program of the foundation, aims to inspire students to connect, learn and take collective action on global issues. It began in 2010 to enlist young people to help their peers after a devastating earthquake in Haiti, according to the group's website.

The challenge runs until June 4. For more information, go to here.