Students Look to Give Back with New Club

A group of students at Westwood High School are looking to give back to those in need . . . but in a new way. 

Westwood Sophomores Megan Ferren and Tracie Winn have established a microedit club to help raise money for people in developing countries through a fund-raising website. The idea came from a similar club the girls had heard of in Newton.

"Megan's mother teaches at Newton North High School, where there is a very successful microedit club," said Winn. "She told us about the club and how popular it is among the students, and we decided we wanted to start a club like it at Westwood, because it is a really great cause."

But the manner in which they will do so is something that hasn't been attempted at Westwood High School before.

Specifically, Ferren and Winn will look to help people overseas become self-sufficient by lending them money through an organization known as Kiva, an online program that works globally with micro-finance institutions to help people in need.

Kiva allows people to lend money to families in need. After those families are able to get back on their feet, they repay the money that was lent to them. That money would then be used to help other people, and so on. More than $100 million has been lent to people through the organization so far. 

The Westwood club essentially has two goals, the first being to build awareness through the high school about those in need across the planet. Winn and Ferren would work to do this by establishing fundraisers in and out of school.

Secondly, the group would allow for Winn and Ferren to learn about money management, a skill they said they would harness by making decisions on who to loan the money to, and how much to lend. 

The group plans to create an account through Kiva, and then meet once every other week after school to discuss ways to raise money. 

"We have been promoting the club throughout the school, and will continue to do so by hanging posters and making announcements about the first meeting," Ferren said. "The next step will be meeting with the members to discuss fundraiser ideas, because we want everyone to be involved in the process."

Ferren an Winn submitted a proposal to start the club to Assistant High School Principle Sean Bevan, who approved it. They also sought out the help of Foreign Language Teacher Eileen Flanagan, who will serve as the club's advisor. 

"When the girls first came to me with the idea, I was thrilled and honored to be asked to serve as their advisor," Flanagan said. "To my understanding, this is the first club of its kind at Westwood High School, and I think it will elicit a strong interest from the student body."

At the moment, the group is in the initial stages of getting established, Flanagan said, with the primary concern revolving around fundraising. 

"As the key emphasis of the club is on providing monetary loans to people in need, we're hoping to get some donations, so that we can have a base fund form which to work," Flanagan said. "The administration, particularly Sean Bevan, has given us great support in the early stages."

Said Ferren, "There are many potential recipients, but we will make the decision of who we want to lend the money to once we have started meeting regularly, so that everyone can share their opinion. Also, we will wait until after some preliminary fundraising has been done so we know what our options are."

The club won't only serve to help those overseas, it'll help spread the word about global awareness, Flanagan said.

"Becoming a global citizen is more important than ever, and my hope is that KIVA will foster that process in our students," Flanagan said. "Taking the initiative to establish an innovative club such as this is a testament to Tracie and Megan's character and maturity. I think it will be great success."