As students fortunate enough to attend the school we do, people may not think about the guidance that others may with their education and future goals. The Boys and Girls Club offers a place for kids to learn and have a safe place to discover themselves. The program needs the help of volunteers to create a better future for kids in the club, which is where Heritage comes in. Students from the American Heritage SOAR club and NHS go to the Plantation Boys and Girls Club during the week to play sports, tutor others and to be a listening ear.
Senior Annie Michel, Co-President of the school club, volunteers by helping kids with their homework at the Boys and Girls Club library.
“My favorite thing is connecting with the children,” Michel said. “Even if they don’t understand something, they really try to listen to what you’re saying. They’re amazing kids and they really look up to the volunteers so it’s just really fulfilling to go and connect with them, not only with homework but with listening to stories about what they did that day or about their weekend.”
Michel loves the connections she has formed through the club with other kids and she feels that she makes a difference in their lives every time she sees them.
The club later got involved with NHS. Since NHS’ involvement, the club has expanded from a small number of volunteers to many more people willing to help in all the Boys and Girls Club programs.
Senior Paola Barraza first joined the club after hearing about it in an NHS meeting. “Going for the first time was both fun and eye-opening. At American Heritage, we live in a privileged bubble so we think the world around us is the same,” she said. Paola helped kids within the program with their reading, but her favorite part of the club was having the ability to impact their lives by talking to them about achieving their goals. “I want to go back because I can see how much they really want to help these kids. They don’t just need someone to help with homework, they need someone to talk to just as much,” she said.
