ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — A ribbon-cutting ceremony was recently held at the Cooper School in Montclair to celebrate the opening of a new reading garden created by Glen Ridge High School senior Esmae Keswin.
Keswin raised $1,500 through her student-led organization, Hands 4 Hope, to create the space, which includes wooden benches, flowers and an outdoor area where children can read and gather. She also led a team of volunteers – including Dixon Atkinson, Taiye Akinwande and Maya Kishimoto – who helped bring the project to life.
Keswin founded Hands 4 Hope to create service opportunities for young people and develop projects that benefit children and families in the community. The Cooper School reading garden brings those interests together by creating a permanent space where children can enjoy books, spend time outdoors and gather with others.
"Cooper School is so grateful for this generous gift because nothing says 'community' quite like a good book, a cozy bench and a little library full of possibilities," said Lynn Kulik, educational director at the Cooper School.
"Thank you, Hands 4 Hope, for helping us create a special little corner where stories and our community can grow," Kulik added.
For Keswin, the project is another step in her ongoing effort to connect literacy, kindness and community service. The garden is an extension of her broader work promoting literacy and kindness among younger children. She self-published a children's book "Mossy the Bear," and developed a kindness curriculum based on the story, which she teaches to students at Central Avenue School in Glen Ridge.
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