Welcome to the Family!

Being kind to others is the most powerful tool for success.

The Project:

Mia Felix (Senior):

President of the Holliston Best Buddies club, leadership skills, experience with various volunteer activities, a love of people and working with others, has an understanding and acceptance of others, as well as organization and communication skills.

Maddie Kinder (Sophomore):

Teamwork skills, connection to Harvard Global Health Society Club, and organization skills

Kelty Kober (Junior):

Knows American Sign Language, a frequent volunteer for mission trips, and has good time management.

Riley Robinson (Junior):

Multiple Connections, Co - President of the Holliston Culture Connect Club, organization, motivation, a regular volunteer, a love for creative writing, time management, leadership, a passion for nutrition, and teamwork skills.

Community Need:

Engaging in community outreach and inclusivity provides students with the opportunity to become active members of their environment. Together, these have a everlasting, positive impact on the community. Both, inclusivity and volunteering work develop a sense of belonging and allow students to become better prepared for their future endeavors. Community service as well as volunteering not only enables students to acquire life skills, knowledge, and opportunities but also provides service to those who need it the most.

Our mission is to create a club that spreads positivity as well as awareness about inclusion and the importance of being an active community member throughout the walls of Holliston High School and beyond. Each month we have a new theme that highlights a certain community need or issue. For instance, in one of our meetings we will focus on the importance of nutrition. We will create easy, no-bake and healthy recipes as well as hang up nutritious recipes around the school. We will also work with local businesses and organizations throughout the school year. Our hope is that around the holiday season we will partner with the Food Pantry and create Thanksgiving baskets and deliver them to those in need. Our multiple community connections will allow us to do more good and create change outside the school rather than just within it.

Community Partnership:

Our group has chosen Lovelane out of Lincoln, Mass for our community partnership organization.

The overall mission for Lovelane is in a fun, supportive environment, Lovelane provides high-quality therapeutic horseback riding to achieve occupational, physical, speech, cognitive and other therapeutic gains, focusing on children with special needs.

This organization will aid our group through providing a source to receive our donated goodie bags as well as help in furthering our education and understanding of inclusion. So far in our journey we have had a phone call with Hannah Conquest, the program manager, in which we discussed the overall theme of what we want to contribute to the program as well as a possible time to physically visit the barn and lead an activity for the kids through volunteer work.

Community Partnership Website: https://lovelane.org/

Our emails:

Action Plan:

For the overall club: Since right now we are focusing on working with the horse therapy organization to make goodie bags, we want to maintain focus on that in order to do a really good job. So to not distract us from our project, we plan on starting club meetings once the semester ends. Mrs. Mills agreed to be our advisor, so once the semester ends we plan on proposing our club idea to the main office and get it approved. Once approved, we plan on figuring out our monthly themes and projects for the remainder of the school year. In order to have enough money for the club, we plan on hosting a Snap Raise fundraiser for the club's funds. Some of the monthly themes we hope to do are partnering with Love Lane and Best Buddies to host an event where Best Buddies can ride horses at Love Lane. We are excited and hopeful for the club!!!

For the in-class project: As of today, our main project that we are working on now is being partnered with Lovelane which focuses on children with developmental disabilities with therapeutic horseback riding. So far, we have gotten into contact with the program manager, Hannah Conquest, who helps run the organization. We are working out a date to see her and plan out what we need for our goodie bags and different things we could do to help out. Right now, our plan is making goodie bags with toys, candies, and other items that can help put a smile on everyone faces. We have hosted a bake sale and were able to raise $55. So, far, the rest of the partnership and the future of this project is looking really good and we are excited to see what comes next!

Partnership Update:

We have made a great amount of progress so far regarding our Love Lane journey. We have delivered the fun-filled treat goody bags and have even continued to stay in touch with this partner for future opportunities. Lovelane provided us with the perfect opportunity to give back to those that deserve it the most. The students at Lovelane truly give us purpose. The joy and happiness on their faces as they ride and learn, resonates with us. One can’t quickly forget the overwhelming feeling of excitement and accomplishment they feel when students who have trouble walking into a ring, sit up, ride a horse and take control. Pride and emotion are immense. This organization makes it evident that helping others can be just as rewarding for the individuals performing the services as those receiving it.

Club Update:

Our club has made significant progress. Each time we have a meeting, more people has joined. When this course ends, we will continue to meet twice a month for the rest of the year. At each meeting, we will do a new act of kindness towards our community. At one of our more recent meetings, we made and decorated cookies as well as thank you cards for the teachers to show our appreciation and gratitude. We also made christmas cards for a young boy named Carlos who has been in the hospital waiting for a heart transplant. We also made goodie bags which was filled with candies, toys, and a note of encouragement for special needs students at Love Lane. Students at Holliston High supports and loves this club. This club is a way for students to help others and change the community in a kind way

Member Update:

• Riley Robinson:
  • Main Connection to Lovelane, A Big Organizer, Leadership, Team Speaker/Communicator, Has an Immense Passion and Motivation to Help Others, An Enormous Advocate for Spreading Kindness and Making Positive Differences in the Community

• Mia Felix:
  • Helped Organize the Many Meetings and Fundraisers, Kept Finances, Ordered and Contributed Goods for the Club, Reached out to Different Potential Community Partners, Was a Key Role Model and Example of Being a Helpful Member of the Community, Huge Advocate for Kindness, Happiness, and Positivity

• Maddie Kinder:
  • Organized, Positive, A Strong Drive to Help Others, Connection to Whitney Place, Champion of Kindness, Has a Passion for Doing Good Things and Helping People, Loves to Meet New People and Interact With Others.

• Kelty Kober:
  • Very Organized, Good Time Management, Driven and Passionate, Bilingual (Helpful for some of the Students at Lovelane), Puts in Time and Effort, Started an American Sign Language Club (Can be Useful for Future Club Meetings), Volunteer at Mission Trips

Meet the Group:

We have been able to take part in many fun opportunities. We have engaged in bake sales, the “Making the World A Better Place” Coffee House Fundraiser, Cookie Making for Teachers, Goodybag Creating for Kids with Developmental Disabilities and so much more! It’s the simplicity of a kind act that gives us a greater sense of purpose. Volunteering our time, money, and energy to help others doesn't just make the world better, it also makes us happier.

Contact Us:

• Riley Robinson: Robinsonril@students.holliston.k12.ma.us
• Mia Felix: Felixmia@students.holliston.k12.ma.us
• Kelty Kober: koberkel@students.holliston.k12.ma.us
• Maddie Kinder: Kindermad@students.holliston.k12.ma.us