RUMFORD — Mountain Valley High School students are trying to help victims of last month’s earthquake in Sendai, Japan by creating folded paper cranes.

The cranes are sacred, according to the Japanese legend and culture. Legend says that for every thousand cranes folded, wishes will be granted.

For each paper crane created, the Bezos Family Foundation will donate $2, up to a total of $200,000 nationwide.

According to the website, www.studentsrebuild.org/japan, once 100,000 cranes are created, they will be woven into an artwork as a symbolic gift from students around the world to their Japanese peers.

Barbara Radmore, an educational technician at the high school, said students there have begun learning to fold a variety of colorful paper into small cranes of all sizes. The results are then perched on one of two lighted artificial trees in the lobby of the high school. She said the crane-making project will continue until the end of the month.

“Some kids have written messages on the folded cranes,” she said.

Students Chrissy Briggs, Kristin Gould and Yae Keem Lee, a South Korean foreign exchange student, have all tried their hand at it, with Lee creating eight so far.

They agreed it was fun to participate in the project, and a good way to help Japan.

Assistant Principal Chris Decker said Mountain Valley students have frequently helped people who have suffered a natural disaster. A group traveled to New Orleans a few months after the flood in 2005, and helped out the people of Haiti after the January 2010 earthquake.

“This community and their kids have been great at raising money,” Decker said.

Community members may also fold paper cranes, then drop them off at the high school, Radmore said.

The Bezos Family Foundation is a philanthropical organization established by Jackie and Mike Bezos. The organization provides funds for many educational, medical and other needs.

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