MIHS students initiate health equity Maroon Project

By Sophia Loiselle

Special to the Reporter

The Maroon Project is a service project initiated by a group of Mercer Island High School (MIHS) students who are part of the Destination Imagination club.

This year, our Destination Imagination team selected the service learning challenge to support access and advocacy issues in health equity. Our focus is on providing access to menstrual products to those who need them in the greater Seattle area and building awareness about this crucial need.

Two in five Americans have struggled with period poverty, which may cause menstruators to miss work and school, according to a 2021 Kotex study. Additionally, period poverty has been linked to health issues like urinary tract infections and depression, according to a 2023 National Institutes of Health study published in Frontiers in Global Women’s Health.

To date, we have collected 6,382 individual products to donate, and more than $800 in donations to purchase additional products for those in need.

We are donating our money and products to Seattle T2P2 (Towers of Tampons & Pyramids of Pads), which is a menstrual product donation collective committed to disrupting period poverty throughout Seattle and beyond. We believe that to create a more equitable society, we must make period products accessible to all. Period. To learn more, please visit: https://www.seattlet2p2.org/.

Destination Imagination is a creative problem-solving club at MIHS. When participating in the club, we create a performance that integrates artistic and technical elements while also communicating about our service project. This year, our performance included original piano and vocal music, a three-dimensional handmade rotating carousel with whimsical animals, and computer-coded technical Arduino effects to enhance our scene. Our team received first place and a Renaissance Award in the regional competition and we received a Torch Bearer Award for the impact of our service project at the Washington state competition. In May, we will be attending the Destination Imagination Global Finals.

Our next products drive will take place from 1-4 p.m. on April 22 at the north end QFC. We appreciate the Mercer Island community support. To learn more about The Maroon Project, follow us on Instagram @themaroonproject22.