I taught middle and high school students to sew for 31 years as a school teacher. Maintenance, although important, is definitely down the line after getting them interested in sewing. The faster you get them sewing the better. I tried to have the 5th graders sewing by the 3rd day of class, even if it was just on scraps. They all had to hand in a sample that showed a 5/8" line, backstitching, and a line of stitching with a square corner, before we started on the actual project. A favorite project of my younger students was a drawstring bag that we put added a pocket to the outside before sewing it on the sides. The original pattern and idea was the one made for first year 4-H. Makes a good bag for carrying things to class and can be made in many sizes for so many purposes. Good luck and keep it fun. We sew because we want to, not because we have to.