Students assemble prosthetic hands for people in need
Students at Alphonsus Academy and Center for the Arts, 1439 W. Wellington Ave., take part in a service project making prosthetic hands for children in need throughout the world with the nonprofit Helping Hands on April 16, 2026. Students from St. Malachy and St. Ann schools also took part in the event. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Students listen as Matt Compana, founder of Hands of Gratitude, gives students background on what his organization does before they start assembling limbs. Students at Alphonsus Academy and Center for the Arts, 1439 W. Wellington Ave., take part in a service project making prosthetic hands for children in need throughout the world with the nonprofit Helping Hands on April 16, 2026. Students from St. Malachy and St. Ann schools also took part in the event. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Matt Compana, founder of Hands of Gratitude, gives students background on his organization before they start assembling limbs. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Alphonsus Academy student Sami Brakeman joins Melissa Valdez and Leslie Medina, both from St. Ann School, to assemble a prosthetic hand. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
A kit sits on a table identifying who the prosthetic will go to in another country when students arrive to assemble prosthetic hands. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Alex Kreis from Alphonsus Academy, Emma Perez from St. Ann and Alannah Palmer from Alphonsus Academy and Center for the Arts, look over their kit and instructions before beginning assembly. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Compana assists Isabella Villagomez and Mariana Miranda, both from St. Ann School, and Hillis Chapdelaine and Jameson Walsh from Alphonsus Academy with assembling fingers for the hand. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Hillis Chapdelaine from Alphonsus Academy works to attach the fingers on the hand. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
St. Malachy students Alyaya Coakly and Ki'Yany Fox put finishing touches on the prosthetic hand. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Jax Pragalz from Alphonsus Academy, Samirian Dyson and Taiden Greenlee from St. Malachy School, and Alyssa Gonzalez from St. Ann School, put fingers together on the prosthetic hand they are assembling. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
An assembled hand and a message for a recipient is on display as an example. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Students work together on the project. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
St. Malachy seventh grader Matthew Cooper puts finishing touches on the prosthetic hand his group is assembling. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
