Junior Hannah Dayoub remembers making cards for others in elementary school, and more recently, she has made her own cards for her friends’ birthdays. Now she has expanded this interest to create a new club at Baldwin.
Dayoub recently started a Baldwin chapter for the national group Cardz for Kidz. In the club, students make their own cards that are later sent to kids in hospitals nationwide.
“Throughout elementary school, our teachers would have us make these kinds of cards for others, and more recently, I like making fun cards for people’s birthdays, so why not bring back card making for more than holidays or friends?” Dayoub said. “In the end, my passion is to make people happy more than anything.”
Dayoub heard about this organization on the internet and decided to make an impact and start a chapter for Baldwin students to join.
“My passion for this cause started months ago, as soon as I learned about Cardz For Kidz. The whole process of making cards and sending them out is amazing and benefits so many people,” Dayoub said.
Dayoub advertised her club around school, which caught the attention of Nicole Flannery, one of Baldwin’s art teachers.
“I saw a post about Hannah’s club and her need for art supplies. I emailed her and told her she is welcome to host the club in the studio art room, where we have an abundance of art supplies available,” Flannery said.
The card-making process is simple. It requires only “colorful paper, stickers, and markers – just really the basic crafts you normally need,” Dayoub said. “I started out buying them, but now we have had a lot of donations.”
Junior Riley Sanders is also involved in the club and says that her friends got her into it.
“I think this club is very meaningful,” she said. “My friends have started the club, so I hope to help them gather more members and maybe some ideas for the future.”
Junior Shea Moyers feels that the club is a great environment for students.
“This club means spreading kindness and helping others,” she said. “Every person in the club is super nice, and it’s a very calm and kind environment.”
Moyers also got involved with her friends and said she intends on being in the club next year as well.
“I will definitely attend the club next year. It shows that anyone can help, no matter the situation,” she said.
Junior Lara Al Imam said her favorite part of the club is knowing she is impacting other people in a positive way.
“This club means a lot to me because I love helping others and knowing I can put a smile on someone’s face,” she said.
The club is a chapter of the main Cardz for Kidz organization based in Chicago. All the chapters mail their finished cards to the national group.
“We send it to them and they distribute it almost all over the world,” Dayoub said. “I am really proud of it. I feel like it is a very simple way of giving back.”
Flannery complimented Dayoub’s dedication and commitment to making this simple idea into a club and getting other students involved.
“I am impressed with Hannah’s willingness to turn a simple idea into a school-wide club. I would love to see this club expand across all of our district schools, with students taking the lead,” Flannery said. “It provides our students with a simple and creative opportunity to share compassionate and heartfelt art and messages with children who need it most.”
For Dayoub, her motivation is simple.
“In the end, I just like when people are happy, strangers or not,” Dayoub said.
The club’s next meeting will be on Feb. 27 during Highlander Time, in a collaboration with the Highlander Healthcare Club.
