West Boca Junior Valentina Lopez was busy with her medical academy clinical visit to the hospital when she noticed something strange.
Observing patients and staff all over the peds floor, she became puzzled by the widespread form of entertainment: technology.
Every child in the hospital’s pediatric wing was occupied with a cell phone, tablet, or TV screen; not a single book was in sight.
Lopez soon discovered that the pediatric wards of hospitals lacked access to books. No books? She wondered in disbelief.
This has to change.
From a pediatric standpoint, “reading provides kids a distraction or an escape from the reality of the procedure they are facing in that moment” (Children’s Minnesota). Books offer emotional support for children facing serious or chronic illnesses, serving as a diversion from discomfort and encouraging proper language development. They play a vital role in developing early knowledge and literacy, not to mention behaving as a stimulus for imagination and creativity.
With this in mind, Valentina decided that the only solution would be for her to do what she does best: take action. In just one week, she collected close to 100 books and nearly $200 in donations, quickly growing her own charity called “Healing Through Stories.”
She remains an active student in West Boca’s AP Capstone program, driven and eager towards her goal of eventually becoming a pediatrician. Lopez hopes to positively impact women’s and children’s health, especially those who are underprivileged.
With months of research in Mrs. Bergman’s AP Seminar class, the avid student leader strongly believes in her ability to make a difference through her research. Lopez frequently specializes in either the medical or sociocultural lenses of her projects, discovering sources like JSTOR that encourage valuable perspectives and knowledge.
When asked about her charitable work, Lopez often gives a humble smile and explains that she simply did what had to be done. “I always loved to read,” she says. “Children glued on screens, in pain, for days and days…doesn’t exactly make them feel better the way books can.” Valentina also volunteers at the Florence Fuller Center, where she works with kids ages 5-12 and encourages them to explore their different methods of learning.
To execute such positive change, Lopez recommends applying for West Boca’s AP Capstone program, where students can pursue their interests and explore volunteer opportunities like her own. She also urges students to face their fears of social interaction and form valuable connections with their peers as well as former Capstone students. “The program is such an interesting opportunity for such young people, and being able to learn the process of quality research is so important,” she tells us.
If you’d like to be a part of this wonderful community of volunteers, make sure to stop by Mrs. Bergman’s room to drop off books and sign up. Community service hours will be awarded!
