Cornerstone cadets' create cranes for hope

A campaign to ease the plight of people affected by nuclear weapons is being embraced by a group of students in the Busselton shire.

Cornerstone Christian College Year 11 students have become Red Cross Cadets in a bid to help the global movement raise awareness and push for a weapons ban through a paper cranes competition.

The Australian Red Cross’s goal was to collect 1000 cranes from schools and community groups, inspired by the story of 12-year-old Hiroshima victim Sadako Sasaki who, before she died, was believed to recall a Japanese legend about how anybody who folded 1000 cranes would be granted a wish.

Year 11 form teacher and co-ordinator of the cadet program Greg Spencer said while students didn’t necessarily believe the legend to hold truth, the campaign had merit.

He said the students involved were determined to reach the entire target themselves.So far they have made 150 strikingly red creations.

“The students are amazing with the speed in which they can produce these folded cranes, with some of them being incredibly tiny and requiring a steady hand to achieve,” he said.

Students need to email the Red Cross a photo of their handiwork to win a camera or an iPod shuffle.

There are also educational packs available for the first 20 groups to mail in 50 or more paper cranes.