CHMS Leads Shoe Collection for African School

Clarendon Hills Middle School recently led a collection of new and gently used shoes to benefit the O’Brien School for the Maasai in Tanzania, Africa. Kellie O’Brien, a Hinsdale resident, reached out to CHMS for their assistance. The school’s Peer Leaders, who promote leadership, school spirit, community outreach, and making a positive difference, then initiated the collection. Members of the school’s Girls on Track group helped to organize the shoes by gender and size. Both groups tucked hand-written notes inside the children’s-sized shoes, wishing the students well and sharing their hope that the shoes will be of help.

Seventh grader Ally Koranda helped to organize the shoes. “It’s fun to give back to people,” she notes. “I think the students in Tanzania will be really happy because they will be more comfortable and won’t have to be barefoot.”

The entire sorted collection will be brought to the O’Brien School in the fall.