Interlake students start group to help needy kids get school supplies

Two local Interlake High School juniors, Alex Ruan and Derek Tsang, have started an organization to help those students who cannot afford school supplies. Their organization, American Youth for Equal Education Opportunities (AYFEEO), collects money and school supplies from community donations and give them to local schools as well as those much further away.

The organization plans on hosting biannual drives. The next drive the two have in mind, slated for winter of this year, plans on helping furnish 100 students with school supplies in Guatemala.

The money raised by the two will be sent to Refuge International, a nonprofit organization whose humanitarian mission centers on Guatemala. Refuge International will then in turn distribute these materials to Guatemalan schools.

"It's amazing how many kids don't have access to or can't afford things like loose leaf paper and binders," Alex said. "These are things we take for granted."

The idea first started in April, when the duo floated the idea between the two of them. After realizing its feasibility and some calls to Youth Venture, an organization founded to help young people with ideas on how to better their community through grants and advice, and e-mails to the schools involved, the two finally realized their idea with their first drive on Aug. 23.

Held at Crossroads Bellevue Mall, it raised money and school supplies for Sherwood Forest Elementary and Lake Hills Elementary schools, chosen to be the focus of the drive because of their high percentages of students who qualified for free or reduced-price lunches (47 percent of Sherwood Forest Elementary students qualified as well as 59 percent of Lake Hills Elementary students). The drive's goal of $300 in donations was exceeded and in return for their efforts, Lake Hills Elementary students sent Alex and Derek handwritten thank-you cards in the mail.

"That was pretty heart-warming and surprising," said Alex.

Alex and Derek are also focused on the future of AYFEEO. AYFEEO secured a $500 grant from Youth Venture to help the organization continue giving aid to students in need. Word is spreading: so far, the AYFEEO has started to attract attention from fellow students at Interlake High School as well as those throughout the school district.

"We are trying to get freshmen and sophomores, including those from other schools, involved in this as well," Derek said.

AYFEEO has already started to create different student offices within the organization with current members to maintain its student-led leadership in anticipation of the organization that will be needed for a larger group.

For those who wish to help, they can donate new or gently used school supplies as well as cash during the drives or they can help out with the organization itself.

Changlin Li is a student at Interlake High School and an intern with the Bellevue Reporter. He can be reached at 425.453.4270, ext. 5060.

For more information or to join the organization, contact Alex Ruan at 206-973-6087 or alexbruan@gmail.com or Derek Tsang at 425-681-3706 or dwgtsang@yahoo.com.

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