Students Serving Students

The attributes which I naturally expect from children are curiosity or extreme honesty, but typically not service. Most of the children I encounter at We Will Go are spending their little lives on a mission to acquire adventure, extra candy, or more play time outside. This past week, two students approached me asking if I could put some ‘real food’ in our afterschool Point Shop. Point Shop is a place for students to spend the points they earn for positive behavior throughout the semester. I reminded them of the fact that they receive healthy snacks every time they come to afterschool. I was humbled, as I listened to the students share their requests, not to receive, but to serve. They were quick to admit that, at times, they had made fun of another student because she did not look or smell the same way that the other students did. After taking time to connect with her, they realized she did not have enough food at home, and the two students wanted to do something about it. With a little help from our Essential Food Department, our Point Shop is now stocked with a variety of kid-approved lunchboxes with grocery staples in each one. Now, our students will be able to unashamedly receive food when they are in need. There isn’t an embarrassing package or isolating line just for the ‘underprivileged’ students. Right in the midst of the toys and the candy, children can choose something that is fun and exciting, while simultaneously meeting a tangible need.

We have an incredible opportunity to impact the lives of many students just like the ones you heard about in this story from our afterschool program. We Will Go’s Education Department is gearing up for our annual summer learning program, Camp Hope. Camp Hope is filled with opportunities to serve and to give. We need people just like you to invest and believe in the children who are signing up for Camp Hope this summer. As we enter our eighth year of programming, we are asking you to help us give ninety children the chance to experience the Good News through mentorship, literacy, swimming lessons, healthy meals, field trips, and more. Students will get to grow and develop with their classmates and Camp Counselors throughout the seven weeks of Camp Hope. Learning how to swim, getting extra points for completing our summer reading books, singing at the top of our lungs, and exploring Mississippi’s own ‘safari’ at the McClain Lodge are among some of our favorite things to do during the summer. Camp Hope has been impacting the lives of students and families for the past seven years, and with your help, we know that our eighth year will be even more of a success!