“I have always had a good experience at school. So, when I see people not having that experience because they don’t have the supplies they need, I want to provide that and give them the same experience I had.”
When that thought crossed Churchill High School freshman Max Roberts’ mind, he knew he had to do something. But he knew he couldn’t do it alone. So, he reached out to his friends, Winslow Ly and Lorelai Farrell, to figure out what they could do to help. That’s when Pencils for Progress was born.
Max, Winslow and Lorelai have been friends since first grade at Huebner Elementary School. They grew up together, often in the same gifted and talented (GT) classes at Huebner and Eisenhower Middle School. Now, as freshmen at Churchill, they are ready to give back to the educational system that has given so much to them.
“People wonder why we are here, what our purpose is. I want to be here to help others,” said Lorelai. “So, being able to do that, even on a small scale right now, just makes me really happy.”
Pencils for Progress was established about a year ago. Since then, they’ve teamed up with their former elementary school to collect donations, earning those students a pajama party. They’ve helped more than 3,700 students and 200 school staff members with much-needed supplies, and they are just getting started.
“It makes me happy that I was able to make an impact on our community,” said Winslow. “It makes me proud of the work that I know can be achieved by people who are willing to make a change, who see an issue and come together to fix it.”
At Churchill, there is a saying: We care, We create and We compete.
Max, Winslow and Lorelai care, so they decided to create something to help students compete in the classroom and it’s making a difference in their community #theNEISDway.
Teachers often request Expo dry-erase markers. Pens, pencils and paper are always needed, but they also get requests for things like chalk, board games, Play-doh and headphones.
If you would like to help, check out Pencils for Progress!
