HELENA — Measuring, cutting, and stitching come together to create a sense of comfort as graduating seniors move on to their next chapters.

Jamie Calder is a senior at Helena High School who says, "I have never experienced my actual culture before and in this class, I have had a chance to, seeing the star quilt kind of helped me in that way."

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A star quilt is significant in native culture and is presented as a gift to honor individuals at important life events like graduations.

"It means prosperity and is also a way of protection," Rachel Two Teeth-Pichardo says.

Both Helena families of graduating seniors and the seniors themselves are making star quilts to mark this milestone.

"It is showing like a new beginning and like a new way to have a next step in your life," Calder says.

Over the weekends leading up to graduation, parents and guardians gather at Helena Indian Alliance to piece together quilts through a free class.

Jenny Stark is taking the class and says, "This has been something I always wanted to do, my mom did star quilts and I never did one."

Local seniors are also crafting quilts and beadwork mortar boards in their classes.

Two Teeth-Pichardo says, "They are beading their graduation caps as like representation, also identity and just to have their culture with them during this special time in their life."

For members of the HIA star quilt class like Stark, she hopes the quilt she crafted will provide simple comfort for her son and represent that they both are trying new things.

"Knowing that it was my first star quilt, I just hope that it keeps him warm," Stark says

The quilts will be delivered to students at their senior celebration or the commencement ceremonies for around forty native seniors graduating in the Helena area.