Sapulpa Students Get Valentine's Day Surprise With Crochet Hearts

Students at Sapulpa High School got a special Valentine's Day surprise with more than 1,000 crochet hearts placed around the school.

The hearts with special messages attached are placed in the school every year by the Valentine's Bandit.

"You are bright, you are dazzling, you are charming, you are smiles and sunshine," said Madisyn Green.

Madisyn Green has made more than 5,000 hearts over the past few years, and this year there were 1,208 hearts.

"Then a slip stitch in, skip a stitch, slip stitch, one, one, slip stitch the project and cut off," she said.

Madisyn was in the eighth grade when she decided to start the tradition, and she's now a senior.

She said she loves to make different crafts, so this was the perfect thing to do.

"I was going through the hallway in middle school and everybody just seemed super bummed on Valentines Day, so I just wanted to make sure everybody had a chance to get a Valentine and everybody has a chance to share one too," she said.

Madisyn and a few classmates sneak in the night before Valentine's Day and place the hearts all over the school for students and staff.

Until last year, no one knew who the Valentine Bandit was.

"As I looked around everywhere, they were all over the place, so I just knew somebody put a lot of time and effort into it," said Principal Seth Shibley.

Shibley said Madisyn is a special kid, and he's thankful she puts so much effort into making sure students have a reason to smile.

"Having her here, doing things like this, you can't ever have too much of it, you can never have too much kindness and consideration, and it's just been a real joy," he said.

Each heart is on a pin, so students and staff can wear them around, a way to think of the Valentine's Bandit and to spread a little joy.

"I'm just hoping to make some people happy," Madisyn said.

Madisyn said there's no official plan for someone to take over next year, but she did leave directions on how to make the hearts on the back of each Valentine in the hopes someone could give it a try.