Students put much time and dedication into establishing Love4Kids, a new club at Malden High School.
Sophomore and Vice President Eldu Abrhame described their efforts as first wanting to “create a club where we simply build toys for kids, yet our passion for education in the younger generations took over… so we decided to incorporate reading.”
Recently, the club hosted its second meeting during Joy block. It was as successful as the first one, even more so due to the significant planning beforehand.
“We had to make sure to build a good relationship with the children by visiting ahead of time,” said Abrhame. “Whether it was by simply talking to one of the teachers or going in for a Joy period, we ensured that a firm foundation was built.”
To have the meeting, they needed not only approval from Principal Christopher Mastrangelo but also the parents of the kids. However, after weeks of preparation, the day came when the kids arrived at the school library for a session involving reading and interacting with high school students.
“In the end, everything ended up working out; things went well and the teachers and kids enjoyed having all of us there,” said sophomore co-founder Orit Abel.
Throughout the session, about 15 Love4Kids volunteers each occupied a space in the library to get to know their assigned kids and read them a book.
Sophomore Lenna Chawqui, the club’s Vice President and a volunteer, expressed that taking time to work with the kids was “really enjoyable and it was a nice break from school… so I definitely have plans to continue volunteering for the rest of the year, and next year as well.”
Although the activities during the meeting seem simple, Sophia Chan, a sophomore and co-founder of the club, explained that it made a meaningful impact on the community and helped the club reach its goals of “educationally inspiring youth… through reading.”
Reflecting on her first experience with the kids, one of her favorite moments included reading to the one she was partnered with, who she expressed “was really interactive, and a teacher told me that that was the longest time he had sat still."
Sophomore volunteer Rachel Lanza added that she thoroughly appreciated the kids’ dedication to working with the high school students, which made the experience “very fun, and also convenient because I get volunteer hours while being in school and having fun with the kids.” With this, she intends on continuing to volunteer in the future.
The activities will continue beyond reading books to kids. The club officers also plan on creating worksheets, hosting games, meeting during the summer, and even inviting the mayor to one of their meetings. Abel added that they want to “make toys with the kids and draw or paint because we want to make things more interactive… and raise money through an upcoming bake sale for the crafts and other future endeavors.”
Ultimately, Love4Kids proved that it is heading towards its first successful school year and many more to come.
