A few days ago my club focused on kindness. We discussed our thoughts about the word and listened to the poem "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou. The girls connected with the idea of feeling trapped and limited like a caged bird, and they also wanted to expand, to be of help to those who are in some way "caged" by difficult circumstances. We made a list of issues that we care about and would like to change for the better. That list included bullying and under-supplied schools, homelessness and poverty and hunger. Several girls mentioned hunger in particular, and considering that Thanksgiving is nearly upon us, we decided to hold a food drive in our school and donate what we collect to a local shelter for women so they too might have a feast. The girls were very enthusiastic, so much so, that in a matter of 15 minutes they had created beautiful posters letting their school-mates know about our food drive! In the coming days we will place their posters and donation boxes around the school. The girls were very excited by this kindness-in-action - doing something that will help people they don't know. How very inspiring they are!

Virginia