Courtesy of Annie Gibbons and Rayanne Attar

Senior Annie Gibbons is a Scout who has excelled in many different leadership roles. Whether it be being a member on the Girls Softball and Golf teams, managing the Girls Varsity Basketball team or being an involved teacher assistant for her favorite teacher− Mr. Lubliner− Gibbons has proven herself to be a great role-model for others in the community. 

Most notably, Gibbons has spent about 400 hours dedicated to volunteering in six different classrooms, three days a week, at Forrestal Elementary School in North Chicago. Additionally, she had spent 100 hours volunteering at their winter, spring and summer break programs through North Chicago Community Partners (NCCP).

These programs are in place to support students whose parents have to work longer hours, making their guardians unable to pick them up at 3:00 P.M.

Gibbons’ journey with NCCP started after being a part of LFHS’s Big 2 Little club− where LFHS students partner with NCCP− volunteering at Evelyn Alexander in North Chicago every Wednesday. Eager to make connections and bond with the children, Gibbons sought to dedicate more time to NCCP. Her time at Forrestal has not only become a way of helping the numerous families in need of after school care for their children, but has also given Gibbons a deeper sense of purpose, leading to self growth. 

“As a busy high schooler, it’s easy to think of being a volunteer as a way to simply get service hours. NCCP has become so much more to me than the hours I’ve accumulated. As a sophomore, I was too absorbed in my own anxieties, but volunteering became an outlet for me to step outside of myself and focus on the needs of other people,” said Gibbons. “Volunteering also solidified my dreams of being a teacher; working with students at Forrestal is very fulfilling for me and has become the best part of my day.”

Although the type of students Gibbons works with varies from age level to personality, each group offers its own unique set of challenges and rewards. 

“Kindergartners and first-graders are definitely the smiliest bunch. With this age group, I love bringing my favorite childhood books and reading aloud to them because they often can be tired after a long day at school,” said Gibbons. 

For older children, Gibbons’ strategy is a bit different.

“Second and third graders are the most inquisitive age group. It’s so fun getting to chat with all of them about being a high schooler and what I’m learning in my classes,” said Gibbons. “This age group is the most enthusiastic about their enrichment activities, and they definitely have the most energy.”

Gibbons says that as the children get older, she begins to organize and participate in more complicated activities and conversations with them.

“Students in fourth to sixth grade get to work on more advanced enrichment projects. Over spring break, I worked with students who got to make slime on Fun Friday. Whenever I’m with these grades, I find myself laughing along with their jokes, but it’s still always important to keep them on task,” said Gibbons.

Within the diversity of students from classroom to classroom, during Gibbons’ junior year, she found a profound connection with one particular student. 

“The class I became the closest with was Ms. Stephanie’s second grade class. I spent most of my time at a table with a student who needed more attention for his emotional needs. He gave me a greater purpose than just being an energetic member of the classroom; we worked together to keep him on task and we made big strides with his focus in class, as well as his relationships with other students. This student taught me the importance of patience and consistency, and I’m so grateful for NCCP that I got to meet him,” said Gibbons. 

This student exemplifies just one of many children impacted by Gibbons’ work. Her consistency and time in each classroom over three years has given Gibbons the ability to connect with a large portion of the students who attend the after school program. 

“At the end of the program, I sit with all the kids until they all get picked up. This gives me the opportunity to catch up with all my past students. At the end of pick-up, many students and I play games like ‘concentration’ or ‘I spy’ to pass the time. I don’t receive service hours for this time but it’s fun hanging out with the kids who have to wait a while to get picked up,” said Gibbons. “The bonds my students and I have created are longstanding and impactful.”

Gibbons’ dedication, personal growth and leadership, in and out of the classroom, has not gone unnoticed by the NCCP staff who would like Gibbons to recruit new volunteers to help with their programs. Gibbons hopes to be able to accomplish this task.

“Anyone else who enjoys spending time with kids and giving back to their community should contact Mr. Panfil, or me, on how to become a part of Big 2 Little or the rest of NCCP’s volunteer opportunities!”