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Published on 03/23/1998 All articles from this issue

Students reaching out

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By Linda Taaffe / Town Crier Staff Writer

LAHS youth helps needy peers through KIDS 2 KIDS program

Collecting backpacks, notebooks and pencils to distribute to needy students locally began as a 10-hour stint to fulfill Brad Wolfe's community service requirement at Los Altos High School. Now in its fourth year, his KIDS 2 KIDS program has grown from a classroom assignment into an organization run by students from three high schools and serves more than 2,000 students in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. And Wolfe has clocked in about 1,000 volunteer hours.

Wolfe last month won the bronze Prudential Spirit of Community Award, an honor given to three high school students in each state nationwide for outstanding community service. Wolfe is the first student at Los Altos High to receive this honor and is Northern California's only winner this year.

The senior said he never expected his small scale effort to be recognized nationally.

"I just feel honored to be grouped with (the prudential winners)," Wolfe said.

When asked why he has continued his project throughout high school, Wolfe said, "It's fun. I try to make the deliveries myself because I like to see the kids face to face. It's rewarding."Wolfe launched KIDS 2 KIDS as part of an assignment for his freshman English class after reading a news article about needy children living in Los Altos. Wolfe said some schools in the Los Altos School District had as many as 10 needy families.

"The article was shocking to me. I felt bad. My friends and I pretty much have everything we could want," Wolfe said.

Through KIDS 2 KIDS, Wolfe distributes grocery bags with instructions to local students to donate used school supplies. All donations are given to students in the Los Altos School District and to neighboring agencies.

Wolfe and his partner Dustin Picasso recruited their classmates as helpers to launch the project.

Wolfe said the support was overwhelming. He said the KIDS 2 KIDS drive was the most successful in the high school's history.

Wolfe said everything from backpacks and clothing to shampoo fill his garage and two classrooms at the Los Altos Lutheran Church from floor to ceiling. Wolfe said it takes him all summer to sort through everything and to put items together in care packages.

"I know the program doesn't solve their problems, but I think it helps the kids in little ways. It helps build their esteem," Wolfe said.

Wolfe said he hopes his program changes people's attitudes.

"Most people roll their eyes when you talk about the needy in Los Altos. At least (the program) builds a conscious effort. People have to go home and dig around in their closets."

Wolfe said he believes the program is successful because it is run by students.

Wolfe said he is working on manuals to distribute to local schools so students throughout the area can launch their own local drives.