Photo Courtesy of For the Kids

By Danica Rivera

Out of the several clubs organized at Granada Hills Charter (GHC), “For the Kids” notably dedicates its time and efforts to aid disadvantaged youths around the valley.

Seniors and co-presidents of For the Kids, Michael Suarez-Russell and Shant Harutunian, created the club in their junior year, originally outlining the purpose of supporting children through crocheting and donating scarves. 

“I told Michael I wanted to make a club called ‘Scarves for Kids’ but it was a niche idea,” Harutunian said. “We couldn’t just donate scarves and wanted to broaden the club’s purpose, so it became For the Kids.”

The club had a successful first year with over a hundred members volunteering and providing service to patients in children’s hospitals. They were given seasonal cards handmade by For the Kids members, along with donated items such as clothes, books, and toys through drives the club arranged. 

“We wanted to provide support to the kids and give them a way to smile through their struggles while being in the hospital,” Vice President Anika Gaur said. 

For the Kids has since expanded with over four hundred members, where two hundred of those members joined the club’s first meeting of the 2023-24 school year. 

“The diverse members in our club bridge a lot of gaps within the GHC community,” Secretary Lily Gonzalez said. “It allows people to come together and work towards the same goal which is for the kids.” 

Along with its expansion of members, the club plans to expand its contributions to children who not only reside in hospitals but also children who are in poverty. 

“I want to eventually work in finance, allocating funds for the homeless whether it’s in big cities like LA or San Francisco,” Treasurer Troy Damu said. “Being able to work with children who are homeless would increase the club’s community in helping those kids in need.” 

Respective schools around the valley including John F. Kennedy High School, Bishop Alemany High School, and Sierra Canyon High School have also established their own “For the Kids” clubs within their campuses.

“Because of the club’s impact from last year, students from other schools contacted Shant and I to implement For the Kids at their school and we thought it would be a good idea and eventually made it happen,” Suarez-Russell said. 

As the club’s board members consist mainly of seniors, they hope that next year’s officers will carry on their legacy. For the Kids strives to continue the communal vibe within the club, venture into different methods of supporting disadvantaged kids, and hopefully, see the children they are supporting face to face.