Min Ju Kang

To start off the new year strong, senior wildcats Nathaniel Medina and Kayla Jaramillo collected art supplies for their campaign, “Aspiration for Art.” Medina and Jamamillo raised roughly 30 donations of crayons, colored pencils, coloring books, scissors, and watercolor paints for Paddagan Elementary School, a two-classroom institution in the Philippines with around 40 students.

  “Personally, I’ve wanted to do this project because art has really made an impact in my life,” said Jaramillo. “I used to study painting and [in particular] impressionism, and I really want the kids to be able to express themselves like I do through art.”

  They have partnered with Bangui United, an organization that not only delivers art supplies, but also uniforms, monetary donations, and other resources the schools lack in. It takes Bangui United 35 to 45 days to deliver, so Medina and Jaramillo’s art supplies are expected to arrive at the Philippines around mid-March.

  “These kids hike and cross rivers every single day just to get to school,” said Medina. “We’re hoping that they will find some joy out of our art supplies and the stuff that we take for granted at times.”