Students from Lehigh’s Innovation and Leadership Residency program visited the Boys and Girls Club of South Bethlehem on Thursday to teach and play games with the kids.
According to ILR’s official website, the program engages students in the “real-world activities of future business leaders as they prepare to present their innovations and plans to Venture Capitalists.”
Sarah Wei, ’16, a member of ILR, brought three other members and several volunteers to the Boys and Girls Club.
Wei divided the Boys and Girls Club gymnasium into quadrants for soccer, basketball, tennis and frisbee. The kids ran between the stages frequently, instead of staying within one zone. Soon, the gymnasium was filled with volunteers playing basketball with older kids, playing catch with the younger kids and having conversations with the young club members.
The students at the Boys and Girls Club of Bethlehem range in age from four to 18 year olds. The majority of the students are on the younger side of that spectrum.
Winston Alozie, the Boys and Girls Club Southside unit director, acts as the mentor and role model to many of the kids at the club. He said he always appreciates it when volunteers come in to help out.
“I am really appreciative of the group coming in and sharing their time and talent with the kids,” Alozie said.
Even though the kids at the Boys and Girls Club vary in age, Alozie said no matter the situation with the kids outside the club, club kids recognize other club kids.
Lily Hsu, ’16, a member of the club tennis team at Lehigh, volunteered to join ILR at the Boys and Girls Club to teach kids tennis. She helped kids through the motion of proper swings so they could work on hitting tennis balls against the gymnasium wall.
“It was so nice to see the kids playing with tennis rackets, and actually playing tennis rather than just running after each other with tennis rackets,” Alozie said.
Santos Martinez, 11, a student at Holy Infancy School in Bethlehem, goes to the Boys and Girls Club Tuesday through Friday every week after school. While there, Martinez does his homework and plays games with the other kids.
“I think it’s actually awesome because (Lehigh students) taught us new games and tell us about Lehigh.” Martinez said.
Martinez asked some of the Lehigh students how much it would cost for him to attend Lehigh.
Alozie said one of the things he wants the club to provide is opportunity for the kids.
“It was so nice to see the kids do physical fitness and play something outside of just basketball,” he said. “It was nice to see the university students sharing with kids in a different way than just doing their homework with them.”
Wei said that she would be interested in having some ILR members and volunteers spend time at the Boys and Girls Club more often.
“It was good to get involved with the community,” Hsu said. “It was a different experience for both the kids and Lehigh students.”
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