Frost’s Community Service Club empowers students to make a difference

A small but mighty group of students at Frost Elementary School is proving that you don’t need money–or even a driver’s license–to make a big impact.

The Community Service Club, open to students in grades 3 through 5, has become a beloved part of the school culture since its launch in 2022. Led by staff members Gisele Raube and Lindsay Anaya, the club focuses on helping students understand the importance of giving back using the resources they already have: their time, creativity and compassion.

“We wanted to help the community in a variety of ways and show that kids can get involved too,” said Raube, a fourth-grade dual language teacher at the school. “That you don’t have to spend money to make a difference.”

Each month, club members meet once or twice during recess to work on projects that benefit their school, neighborhood, and beyond. These include crafting fleece blankets for local animal shelters, creating Thanksgiving placemats for a senior living community in Mount Prospect, making craft kits for hospitalized children, organizing canned food or shoe drives, or packing meals during a trip to Feed My Starving Children. 

“We try to find projects that are age-appropriate, doable in 30 minutes, and cost very little,” explained Anaya, a Spanish literacy interventionist at the school. “A lot of our families may not be able to give financially, so we focus on ways students can give their time and energy instead.”

Now in its third year, the club’s impact has spread throughout the building. 

“The staff has really embraced this club,” added Raube. “I also love that the kids go above and beyond when we propose a project.”

So much so that during a project where students crafted messages for cancer patients, a second grader – too young to officially participate in the club – heard about the project through the school’s announcements and worked on her own to submit something.

“It’s amazing to see how excited they get about helping others,” said Anaya. “You can tell their wheels are turning. They’re starting to understand their world is bigger than just them.”

Raube and Anaya are both hopeful this idea can spread across the district: “Imagine if all 13 schools had a club like this. We could share ideas and really multiply our impact.”

With support from school staff and families, including PTO that recently helped turn a club initiative into a schoolwide event, the Community Service Club continues to grow in heart and reach.

“It builds community among the students and creates a more positive atmosphere,” said Kathy Novak, library and media specialist at Frost.

And while the crafts and donations are meaningful, the biggest gift may be what the students are learning about themselves and their ability to make a difference.