Creating cards for hospitalized kids to receive volunteer hours for National Honor Society (NHS) last year inspired Grant High School senior Eliana Beckham to start the Cards for Kids Club. Beckham’s co-president, fellow senior Anna Winkle, joined the club’s leadership as a way to fill up free time. “School is really boring if you’re not part of something like that,” Winkle says. “I do swim team for Grant during the winter, but that’s only one season out of the entire school year. So it’s something to fill your time, and it’s worthwhile.”

Beckham and Winkle got to know each other in their sophomore year English class. “I talked to her a little bit in freshman year,” Beckham says. “But … I wasn’t good at talking to people and was very shy. Winkle says their teacher “made the mistake of seating us together and then he never changed it.”

The club meets every Wednesday during lunch in Room 029. Beckham and Winkle started the club with the goal of offering space and materials for card-making to students who may not have access to them otherwise. They hope that by providing this opportunity, they can inspire more students to help younger kids who are struggling.

Since Beckham’s idea for the club came from a previous NHS experience, one organization she and Winkle send the club’s cards to is Cards for Hospitalized Kids, which Grant’s NHS chapter highlights as a sponsored hours opportunity. They also plan to send cards to Origami for Good and Sending Sunshine.

Given the range of recipient organizations, Beckham and Winkle are planning a variety of crafts. “We’re gonna do origami projects too, and we’ll do themed cards for each holiday,” says Beckham.

Beyond the volunteer hours, Beckham and Winkle hope that the club’s members will have fun at the meetings and meet new people. “I think that’s pretty important to keep the club alive,” Winkle says.

She is optimistic about the future of the club, noting that the attendees aren’t only her friends. “That makes me hopeful for the club, because people found it approachable enough or interesting enough to join,” she says.

Overall, Beckham hopes that attendees will enjoy their time with the club. “I just hope people will keep coming back and making the cards and having fun with it,” she says.