It all started March 30 when eighth grader Isaiah Howard pulled a long, floppy brown piece of fabric from his backpack. The googly eyes affixed to the top of its Charlie Brown head stared blankly at Howard’s mother, Marquetta Lusk.  

She could not stop laughing. 

“I didn’t know what it was. Honestly, it looked more like something that helps make a baby,” she told InMaricopa.  

Howard explained the googly-eyed thing — composed of a pantyhose leg, a Styrofoam ball and a limp sandwich bag filled with flour stuffed into the body — was part of a two-week baby simulation project for his home economics class at Leading Edge Academy. 

Unlike his mother, Howard was not enthused.  

“I wasn’t really into the thing. I just wanted to get it a onesie and then get it over with,” he admitted, adding he felt it was “creepy” at the time. 

But after a couple of makeovers, an unexpected gender change and clothing donated from the community in the days since, Howard has grown attached to his new daughter, Penelope — googly eyes, weave, felt nose and all.  

Lusk said although she initially made her son care for Penelope like a real baby, he’s taken to doing it on his own. 

“He was like, ‘It’s so creepy, Mom. I don’t want to sleep with it; I don’t want it in my room.’ But today was her first day going to school, and he took her in a stroller. So, he was a dad today,” she said. 

When asked how it felt being a dad for the day, Howard shrugged.  

“It’s not that creepy [anymore],” he said with a smile. 

Howard’s teacher, Heidi Baker, said this was her second time leading the project for students.  

“[Dean of Students Tamara] Washington began the class because it was one of her favorites when she was growing up, so she wanted to have it as an elective here for the students,” Baker said. “This class has several units. We start with self-worth and then move into relationships and red flags.” 

From there, students move into discussions about family and, eventually, the baby project. Like those from decades past, Leading Edge students carry their babies around school and appointments, feed, clothe and otherwise provide round-the-clock care. 

After two weeks, students write an essay to demonstrate what they learned and how their lives changed while caring for their “baby.” In some cases, it made them more responsible pupils. 

“I have students in my first period who tend to be late for school a lot and some students who don’t show up for most classes, but they were so excited for this project. They’ve been here every day,” Baker said.  

Some really get into the project, giving their babies elaborate names, taping celebrity faces to the babies and daily clothing changes. 

On top of that, the project also gives students a chance to engage in more difficult topics like teen pregnancy. 

“It has really brought out a lot of questions, and they’re very curious,” Baker said. “They get into really deep questions that I have to maneuver around to appropriate age levels.” 

Lusk agreed:

“I think this is an amazing project. Maybe if I would have taken it a little more seriously when I was in school, maybe I wouldn’t have had kids at a younger age,” she said.