Ollie is a proud Sad Nuggie superfan. His Nuggie wasn't just a plush. It was something comforting, familiar, and safe.
So one day he asked his teacher if he could bring it to school. With the help of a friend who even drafted a “contract” for the teacher to sign, Sad Nuggie Fridays were born: a day where students could bring their Nuggies to class.
The Nuggies helped start conversations. They provided comfort. They helped students feel safe opening up and supporting one another.
But Ollie noticed something important: not every student had a Nuggie. Even though classmates brought other stuffies, he didn't want anyone to feel left out.
So Ollie visited our adoption centre and hand-picked enough Sad Nuggies for every student in his classroom. Early one morning, Ollie and his sister Lillie set up a full Sad Nuggie Adoption Centre right in the room, where each classmate could meet, choose, and welcome their new friend.
The classroom was alive with excitement and joy.
— Tracy Leonard, Ollie's teacher
What happened next
From that day on, the Nuggies became a real part of classroom life. Students read together with them, worked through math problems together, wrote stories about them, and even designed brand-new Nuggies of their own. In STEAM challenges they built Nuggie homes for both the large and mini sizes.
These little Nuggies opened up the opportunity to discuss emotions, check in with each other, and provide support while building confidence. It also helped create a sense of community.
— Tracy Leonard, Ollie's teacher
In Ollie's words
“Sad Nuggie is important to me because I love them! They are sooooooo cute, and they help you out. Sometimes, if you're sad, a hug from a Sad Nuggie can cheer you up! They always make you happy!”
— Ollie
Why The Ollie Project exists
The Ollie Project was created to help bring that same feeling to other classrooms. It exists so teachers can create safe, supportive spaces where emotional learning is encouraged, no one feels left out, and students are free to imagine, connect, and grow together.
Through classroom adoptions, supporters help place Sad Nuggies into real learning environments. In addition, $1 from every Sad Nuggie adopted goes into our Classroom Fund, which helps us support classrooms around the world with essentials, comfort tools, and other supplies where they're needed most.