Some students in Chisago County are giving back to others in need thanks to a project in the classroom.

They’re building beds in industrial tech class at Chisago Lakes High School, and their work is inspiring others in the community to chip in.

“The students got excited about doing something that served the community,” said Scott Leffler, a teacher at the school.

Leffler says his students are hard at work on something that was inspired by a picture he saw at the beginning of the school year — a student’s bed on the floor.

“I thought, oh man, someone should do something about that,” Leffler said.

That’s when Leffler decided to survey his students.

“About 15% reported that they had slept on the floor as elementary students so you start doing the math and that’s a pretty big number, there’s a need here,” Leffler said.

That’s where the work started: building twin bed frames for kids in need.

“We thought, ‘How can we best use the supplies we have?'” said Evi Reedy, a junior.

“We got 10 done, and we were like, ‘We can do more, we can do more, so let’s do more,'” said Vaugh Annala-Hakes, a junior.

The Chisago Lakes students built 20 beds, and the school is now spreading the word to see who needs one.

“It’s just great to see them develop those skills and develop that knowledge and put it to good use,” said Michael Sandell, a teacher.

The giving spirit doesn’t stop in the classroom. When others in the community found out what these kids were up to, donations started pouring in for things like mattresses, sheets, and blankets.

“The community went absolutely bananas,” Leffler said.

The community chipped in thousands of dollars in donations, and on Friday, students helped pack up the bed accessories.

“As a small class project turning into the whole community being a part of it, it’s always cool to see,” Annala-Hakes said.

“I really hope that we can continue to do stuff like this,” Reedy said.

While there is a limited supply of beds, Leffler says to reach out to the school directly if you or someone you know is in need of a bed.

“The kids are the ones that made this work,” Sandell said.