By Mili Bhatnagar
Senior Jennifer Smith has been incredibly active in making blankets for hospital patients for the past ten years. She also participates in Regional Pageants and practices Kung-Fu.
Q: How long have you been making blankets?
A: I’ve been making blankets since I was around 7 or 8, my grandma taught me how to make them. I think my first one actually was around when I was 7, and it was for my then best friend in Pennsylvania for Christmas and, I was just hooked from there. It was just super fun to make them and it’s something I’ve always enjoyed. So it’s been almost eleven years.
Q: What prompted you to start?
A: So my dad actually was diagnosed with cancer when I was twelve, he had kidney cancer. We got super lucky, he only had to spend a few nights in the hospital after being able to surgically remove the kidney. He didn’t have to go through chemotherapy. I just remember feeling so lucky, and in just those fews days I saw how miserable he looked and how bland and boring his room was. And I was just trying to figure out a way that I could bring comfort to those that go through that time. I thought about how I’ve been to the hospital a few times myself for other medical purposes and it’s always so cold, so for people who are constantly there for treatment, this would be a great way for them to be able to stay warm, and have something to call their own during their stay.
Q: What kind of blankets are they?
A: So they’re fleece blankets and I usually use double layers, so it basically consists of me having two different layers on top and then I’ll measure everything, I’ll cut it out and then I’ll tie the layers together so it’s even warmer.
Q: How long does it take you to make one?
A: Normal blankets take me about 3 to 6 hours, it really just depends on the size of the blanket. For customized blankets it can take 6 to 12 hours. 12 hours is the longest I’ve taken to finish one.
Q: Who do you donate the blankets to?
A: Usually they are for specific patients, so I’ll have people reach out to me via social media. Whether it’s for themselves, whether it’s for someone else.
The application process is pretty simple, I just ask a series of different questions and then I’ll look online for fabrics that suit the information the person has given me. It’s a pretty short questionnaire, it’s almost like you’re getting to know somebody in a speed round in order to understand what kind of blanket they would want.
Q: Where do you buy your supplies from?
A: Usually from Joann Fabrics, because it’s closer by.
Q: Do you take donations?
A: Oh yeah absolutely, I don’t have anything set up for monetary donations at the moment so that is something I would have to look into further. But as for other donations, I definitely accept fabric donations a lot. And they can contact me through my social media.
Q: Have you had any notable experiences making blankets?
A: I think the most notable experience was actually about a few days after my uncle passed away. My uncle passed away from Leukemia, and when he first relapsed, I made him a Cowboys blanket, because that’s his favorite football team. And I remember my mom coming home after comforting my aunt that day, and she was just talking about how my aunt mentioned that during my uncle’s treatment, that blanket, whenever he was cold he’d start using it, and it would immediately warm him up. And for me, that was everything for me. And that’s my mission, I just want to bring comfort to those that need it most. He’s definitely a big part of my mission now, and I’ve been trying to find a way to put his legacy into my mission ever since.
Q: Would you like to say anything to anybody who wants to do something similar?
A: You know it seems like just a crazy idea when you first think of it, I was just a freshmen when I thought of this idea. I had no clue what I was going to do, it just seemed like a measly idea. But if you really have your heart set on something, you will find the resources needed to do it. Just take that leap of faith basically, because that’s what I had to do in order to make this idea a reality, and it’s been so rewarding.
Q: What other extracurriculars do you participate in?
A: I’ve been doing Kung-Fu since I was six, so it will be 11 or 12 years this April. Since I was about 10 years old, I’ve been really active in tumbling to help improve my Kung Fu routines. As I started testing for my black belt, I had to start incorporating that in order to achieve my goal. And of course, I compete in pageants, I have been since I was 7 years old, and I just recently competed in Miss Santa Clara’s outstanding teen.
Q: What titles do you hold?
A: I’ve held the title of Miss Silicon Valley’s Outstanding Teen 2014. The second title I held was miss Northern California Regionals Outstanding Teen 2015. And I currently hold Miss Santa Claras Outstanding Teen 2017, which I’ll be passing on in January 2018.
Q: How did you start competing in pageants?
A: So I actually started out in a program called National American Miss. My parents asked me if I wanted to compete, and they were very open about it because it was not a glitz pageant, like the Toddlers and Tiaras stuff you see on T.V. It was very focused on everything else except the beauty. In all honesty, the biggest reason why I did my first pageant was because it had a talent portion, and my parents wanted to give me an excuse to practice and perform my Kung Fu. I didn’t realize how much I actually started enjoying it until was over. And I actually got fourth runner up my first time and no one was expecting that, and it just changed my whole perspective on what I wanted to do it with my life and I’ve been doing it ever since.
Q: How was competing in pageants shaped your personality?
A: I used to be very very shy, to the point where I had separation anxiety from my parents. My parents were trying to put me in all these extracurriculars in order to get me out of my shell, and in order to help me find the confidence I needed to be away from them. And so they felt like pageants would be a good way for me to gain confidence, you know, being on stage and presenting yourself in front of an audience, having public speaking skills and all; they just wanted me to get out of my shell. It’s definitely made more outspoken, and very opinionated because you need to be able to have an opinion on politics, on yourself, literally anything they’ll throw at you. I feel like it’s definitely brought me a lot of confidence that I wouldn’t have had otherwise.
Q: What is your response to people who say pageants are disrespectful to women, and that they are either just about appearances or are sexist?
A: Well, first of all, I know a lot of people talk about how outdated pageants are and how there is no point in having girls parade of bikinis. But it’s not just girls parading in bikinis just to earn money, I’ve heard numerous stories in the ten years I’ve been involved with Miss America program, of women who would not have been able to college without the scholarships they’ve earned through this organization. It’s a very unconventional way to earn a scholarships, but I’ve already earned 4 or thousand dollars already. The motive really differs for everybody. You don’t really get judged on your look, it’s about how you present yourself.