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| Chanel (background) with CEO David Doyle during the Kindness Week Book Drive |
Working with other students and teachers, and with support from the Value Schools Homelessness Task Force, Chanel has celebrated Kindness Week with a book drive to support North Valley Caring Services. Kindness Week is an annual event at Central City Value enabling students, staff, and teachers to come together and highlight the importance of kindness within their community.
“Kindness is an everlasting act of affectionate awareness,” says Chanel, “and spotlights the positive attributes that everyone holds.”
Over 200 books were collected and donated to families in the Northeast San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles. Bookmarks designed by Central City Value students accompanied each book with art, quotes of kindness, and resources for parents and families.
A self-motivated learner, Chanel has become what Dr. Terrence Roberts might call “the CEO of [her] own independent-learning enterprise." She is clearly determined to continue her hard work to make the world a better place.
“I’m very determined to go to college,” she explains. “My main goal to become a social media contact manager. Social media is a powerful platform, and I want to know more about its influence over society, and work with organizations that use social media to address environmental racism and social justice issues.”
Chanel reminds us we give not simply to make ourselves feel better; we give because it makes a difference.
We can always go above and beyond,” she says. “I don’t do something just because it makes me feel good. I help people because they matter. My purpose is to help others achieve their purpose. When I see someone in need and I have the opportunity to help, then I need to help. We don’t have much time, so what do we do with that time? The question is, ‘did we leave a legacy to the people we know?’ That impact is what gives my life value.”
If you are interested in donating books to help continue the work Chanel and her friends and teachers have begun, you can email [email protected], as well as visiting the Kindness Week page to discover more.
A special thanks to all those who made Kindness Week and the book drive a reality: Ms. Yuria Koga, Ms. Jasmine Bryant, Ms. Jessica Ramirez, Ms. Erin Craven, Mr. Mark Green; and students Mayra G., Scarlette A., Leslie O., Josue M., and Blanca O.