Recently, Rachel’s Challenge was at First Philadelphia Preparatory Charter School in Pennsylvania doing it’s Challenge presentation and FOR Club training. The students were very inspired after the presentation and FOR Club training. Many of them came to school on their day off to launch their very first FOR Club project. Watch the video and read the email below that we received from Liza Meiris, the Student Activities Chair at First Philadelphia Preparatory Charter School.
“Hi Rachel’s Challenge Presenter,
I want to say again how amazing your presentation at First Philadelphia was! It really affected our kids deeply, has inspired them to do more, and our school is a better place as a result! You are truly a special soul. So you saw me announce to the FOR club that they had the opportunity to better their community by showing kindness to homeless victims of substance abuse in Kensington last week. I asked the 100 kids that day – and 75 of them signed up! Then – another 25 showed up because they heard through word of mouth. I was stunned – and I can only imagine that this high rate of attendance ON A DAY OFF FROM SCHOOL was in no small part because of you! Thank you! – Liza, Student Activities Chair”
IT REALLY AFFECTED OUR KIDS DEEPLY, HAS INSPIRED THEM TO DO MORE, AND OUR SCHOOL IS A BETTER PLACE AS A RESULT!
– Liza, Student Activities Chair
The FOR Club Project
The school partnered with a local organization that helps homeless victims of substance abuse. The organization asked the school if the students would be interested in making “Blessing Bags”. The students went to school on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a day OFF from school, to make the Blessing Bags. The bags are meant to provide items that can make the homeless feel human again, and were geared towards the recent cold weather.
“Within a half hour, one station had over 100 blessing bags filled with chapstick, hand warmers, band-aids, three snacks, and a card. Another station made over 100 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. They then spent the next few hours at the coloring stations making hundreds of cards!! And you can see from some of the beautiful work on the cards that students really care and worked hard to brighten someone’s day. We also donated more that 150 pairs of socks, as well as hats and scarves for this horrific cold. I am so proud of these students for showing such kindness and compassion to those so often heartlessly ignored by society. – Liza”
