Make friends. Have fun. Serve others.
Lake Washington Schools Foundation is proud to support Kids Coming Together, an organization that provides opportunities for local youth to make new friends and connect with their community through events led by high school students.
Kids Coming Together helps kids in grades three through eight to develop lasting relationships through community service. Because it may be difficult for parents to get their kids to come to an event designed for them to “make friends,” Kids Coming Together focuses on relationship-building through community service projects. Projects are intentionally scaled for small groups to increase opportunities for connection, and might include helping a neighbor in need, trail repair, visiting a senior living facility, or caring for animals at local animal rescue facilities.
These events serve the community and facilitate a welcoming environment in which children can engage with their peers and potentially gain a support system. Local high school student volunteers facilitate these events, forming mentor-like relationships while helping the younger children engage in positive social interactions and ultimately take steps to form friendships with their peers.
Even my parents were shocked at the ginormous grin that was on my face when I came home from my first KCT event. They hadn’t seen me this happy or fulfilled in a long time. The more events I came to, the more comfortable I got, and as a result, the more confident. I learned to base my confidence in my actions, and how they aligned with my identity, rather than basing it on something that constantly varies, like my physical appearance or material things.
LWSD student Tanya Nair
