On our way to and from school, many of us pass those in need. Not all of us, however, decide to do something about. Junior Arianna Chipp, though, did. She organized gift bags for a shelter in her neighborhood, Chicago North Family Promise.

After passing by the shelter, Arianna decided she wanted to “give back to the community and do something that I normally wouldn’t think about doing.” She decided to put gift bags together to help the people in the shelter.

To help pay for the goodies, Arianna asked for the help of her group AAYG, and they bonded together to sponsor a bake sale and used the profits to buy items like shampoo, conditioner, soap, body wash, and lotion. She also included food items like clementines and fruit snacks as well as essentials like socks.

On Saturday, April 8, she and her mom dropped them off at the shelter to a very grateful director.

Of the experience, Arianna says, “Putting the packages together was so fun and easy, and I know that they will benefit many people.” Hopefully, Arianna’s act of kindness will inspire others at the Academy to use their creative thinking and will power to help those around them as well.