We Care Teams

This year, Worthington Christian has started a new opportunity called We Care for students to be more involved in helping the community. We Care consists of organized groups led by students that have chosen a place of interest in order to go out once a month and make an impact.

There are about eleven WE CARE teams that all go out on different days of the month. Senior Marybeth Betulius is the leader of the team that goes to the School for the Blind every second Tuesday of the month. This team consists of juniors Courtney Dickinson, Ally Krietemeyer, Caitlin Malone, Cassie Struble, A.J Whitt, and freshman Anna Shaw.

At the School for the Blind, the team, during the students’ lunch, has a Bible study with the students, and afterward they go into one of their classes and help the kids with their motor skills by playing board games, and teaching them how to do everyday things. One of their goals for this year is to teach the girls how to apply make-up and to teach the boys how to shave. Junior Ally Krietemeyer said “This We Care team has been a great experience! All of the kids are a blast to be with.”

The School for the Blind consists of all ages, and there could be any age in any grade. Older students are still in elementary school because of their disabilities. “All the kids are really nice!” said Courtney Dickinson. “After everything that has happened to them, they are still happy and it doesn’t seem to affect them.”

Another We Care team, led by junior Madison Mikhail, visits Highland Elementary in Columbus every first Tuesday of the month. The members of this group are juniors Abby Camp and Jazmine Keels; sophomores Rachel Safer, Kelly Zimmerman, and freshman Alex Mikhail. “I have enjoyed We Care and wish I could go see the kids more than once a month!” said Jazmine Keels, smiling.

During their time at Highland, the girls tutor the younger kids, especially the ESL (English as a Second Language) students. A lot of the kids can not speak English very well, and there are not enough teachers for each child to get individual time with them. “The kids are adorable! I absolutely love helping them learn to read and write,” said Claire Dingess, who subs for the We Care team occasionally.

Not only do students interact with kids, but with older people as well. Senior Angie Wigton leads a We Care team that impacts the community through art. This group goes every first Tuesday of the month, and from about ten to eleven thirty they travel to nursing homes and do art with the residents.

“I love to go and do what I enjoy doing, which is art with the residents,” exclaimed leader Angie Wigton. Kaitlyn Moss and Nena LaMonte hope to keep this team going when the seniors graduate; and they have many plans for next year.

There are We Care teams that go to Brookhaven, Beechcroft, MOPs, and many other places as well, trying to share the Word of Christ.

Worthington Christian plans to keep We Care going next year as a result of all of the great experiences that have occurred this year. Sophomore LC Warren said “I plan to do We Care next year. It looks like a great experience to learn how to help my community.” WC hopes for more teams to be created next year so that additional students can--and hopefully will--participate.