The staff of Playworks PA is extremely grateful for the support you continue to demonstrate each year! Through your generosity, we were able to raise $79,056, the driving force for us to partner with many new Philadelphia schools this year. One of our new partner schools is Anna B. Day School – where students like Laila and Donovan are cultivating positive leadership skills as first-year Junior Coaches.
Donovan, a reserved and witty 5th grader, had all the qualities of a great leader, but as a shy transfer student, he didn’t see the potential he had to make positive changes in his new school.
His schoolmate Laila, was just the opposite. Laila, an outspoken and passionate 4th grader, has been a student at Anna B. Day School since kindergarten and was one of the first students to join the Junior Coach program. “I knew I wanted to be a Junior Coach because I am courageous, kind, and I get my work done,” Laila explained.
After the Playworks Coach at Anna B. Day School noticed Donovan helping his classmates at recess, he was asked to become a Junior Coach. Since joining the program, Donovan has come out of his shell. He and Laila work together as a team to make their school and community better.
As Donovan explained, “I am thankful for my Junior Coach teammates because we are all good at different things, and we care about helping other people.”
Now confident, dynamic, and positive leaders, Donovan and Laila’s gratitude for their leadership roles and Playworks is a reminder of the importance of our mission to create safer and healthier school communities.
Together, we can empower more students like Donovan & Laila to take on leadership roles in their community.
