“Making Life More Fair for Kids in Our Community.”
That simple but powerful goal is what drives this week’s Senior Capstone Spotlight—a project dedicated to addressing childhood inequity through hands-on service, joyful experiences, and essential support.
Capstone Spotlight: Partnership with Shoes4theShoeless and Our Lady of the Rosary in Addressing Childhood Inequity
Egide Bahati ‘26, Emmanuel Chol ‘26, Julian Duggins ‘26, Omar Garcia ’26, and Anthony Yates ‘26, guided by mentor Amanda Bertke, English teacher, have devoted their capstone project to tackling childhood inequity rooted in poverty. Their mission is grounded in a belief that every child deserves basic necessities—and the chance to simply enjoy being a kid.
A Mission to Restore Fairness
“Our goal is to make life fairer for kids in our community,” the group shared. “ We focus on providing basic needs like shoes. We also want to create fun opportunities for kids to play and succeed.”
Their focus is twofold: ensuring children have essential items, like properly fitting shoes, and creating opportunities for stress-free play that build confidence, joy, and connection.
To make this happen, the team partnered with Shoes4theShoeless, a local organization dedicated to providing new shoes to children in need because a good pair of shoes is essential. Many of the students they serve own only one pair of shoes, often worn thin or outgrown faster than families can replace them.
Turning Mission Into Action
Their first major initiative took place Monday, Oct. 27, at Our Lady of the Rosary School (OLR), where the group hosted a schoolwide Stress-Free/Sports Day for students in kindergarten through sixth grade. The team designed inclusive, age-appropriate activities—Red Light, Green Light, and Simon Says for younger children, and soccer and dodgeball for older grades.
Students spent a half hour outside the classroom: 15 minutes coloring and connecting with the seniors, followed by 15 minutes of energetic play in the gym.
The group reflected, “It was awesome to see the students so excited and engaged early in the morning. We loved connecting with the OLR students, and the teachers and principal were very appreciative of our support.”
The project continued into the fall. On Tuesday, Nov. 11, the group joined Shoes4theShoeless to distribute shoes to school-age children—many of whom struggle to afford properly fitting footwear.
A final presentation for OLR students is scheduled for March 11, 2026.
Why This Work Matters
As a senior capstone project, the heart of the research, action and impact is based on Catholic social teaching. By confronting childhood inequity, the students hope to uplift children who often face obstacles beyond their control.
“We were inspired to take on childhood inequality,” said Omar Garcia ‘26. “We’ve seen firsthand how a child’s background can shape their access to education, healthcare, and opportunities. That motivated us to explore ways to promote fairness and create real change so that every child has the chance to reach their full potential.”
The experience has been transformative for the seniors themselves.
“This project changed our perspective on how we think, how we see the world, and that we should be grateful for what we have,” Garcia added. “We want these kids to have fun, we want them to feel confident, and we want them to succeed.”
Follow Their Work
To keep up with the group’s project and future activities, follow them on Instagram at @cj.core.today.
