Spotlight on Yaneisha Burroughs

Last month, Yaneisha Burroughs led a workshop at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan (CMOM) as part of KidsCreate – a new workshop series – to inspire other kids to think big and harness the power of imagination. CMOM attracts kids and families from all over the world, and Yaneisha was one of the very first workshop leaders selected by the museum! She was a perfect fit because she knows a thing or two about encouraging other young people; the 14-year-old has been steadily volunteering since she was 10. She continually gives back to her community and assists those around her in any way possible. Her story is proof that with a little bit of creativity any young person can do something amazing.

It all started with an idea a few years ago. During a conversation with her mom, Yaneisha learned that some schools don’t have libraries so it can sometimes be difficult for young people to get books. She thought about this. Could it really be that some kids aren’t able to read when they want to? It seemed so unfair. Her love for reading made it difficult for her to imagine what it would be like to not have access to books.

“I thought about how reading is an escape for kids, and so it’s not okay for some schools not to have libraries,” says Burroughs.

But what could she do? Yaneisha went to her room and gathered all of the books that she had already read. After she was done, there was a small pile on the floor. It was a start, but not nearly enough for a whole school. She quickly developed a plan to collect as many books as she could. Yaneisha and her mother made flyers and distributed them all over – at her own school, in the neighborhood, at her mother’s office. Pretty soon, the pile started to grow.

To date, Yaneisha has collected more than 2,500 books and shows no sign of stopping anytime soon. She gives most of the books to Children for Children, a charity organization she researched and partnered with, which then donates them to schools in New York City. But the story (or should it be book?) doesn’t stop there; Yaneisha gives the rest of the books to children at Montefiore Children’s Hospital in the Bronx as part of her most ambitious volunteer undertaking to date.

Before launching her book drive, Yaneisha became involved with another organization called Project Sunshine. Working with the organization, she created and distributed get well cards to children at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City. Yaneisha decided to begin making cards and visiting children on her own and selected another hospital, Montefiore Children’s Hospital in the Bronx. She found that the cards she designed really made a difference for the kids at the hospital, many of whom were very sick.

Initially, Yaneisha set a goal of making 200 cards. This was a lot, but she wasn’t worried! The task of creating the get well cards was fun because she was able to incorporate what she loved to do: “I’m really creative – I like doing projects,” remarks Yaneisha. Within a short time, she surpassed her goal and set a new one of 500 cards.

Yaneisha currently dresses up as a clown and brings children at the hospital care kits with games, puzzles and coloring books, in addition to the other books she’s collected. She often receives “big smiles and laughs” from the young patients.

The first time she visited Montefiore, Yaneisha had an experience that truly inspired her.

“I met a 12-year-old girl,” says Yaneisha. “She had lost all of her hair. I didn’t realize how much of an impact I could have. It was really touching to see the family and parents cry because they said I cared for her even though I didn’t know her. She actually got out of her bed for the first time in a while.”

Yaneisha’s workshop last month at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan allowed her to share this inspiration with other kids – it was a huge success! KidsCreate is a new series of public programs at CMOM that encourages young people to use creativity in their daily lives to express themselves artistically, experiment, think outside the box and solve problems. Every month, the museum hosts a different young person to share his or her experience and lead a hands-on activity in a fun and exciting environment. The museum encourages as many kids to get involved as possible by attending the programs.

About leading the program at the museum, Yaneisha says, “I was excited because it was an opportunity to interact with other kids to see what they’re doing. I talked to the [workshop participants] about my experience with volunteering and how important it is to volunteer. I also let them know that they’re never too young to start. They can incorporate their skills into volunteering and make it a little more personal.”

This last point is perhaps the most important. Yaneisha is so successful in part because she brings her passions and hobbies into her volunteer work. She draws upon her love of reading and doing creative projects and her passion for acting to make volunteering personal and rewarding for her and, most importantly, for the children she’s helping.

Yaneisha has now set a new goal of making 1000 cards, having far surpassed her previous goal of 500. She visits Motefiore often. Asked whether she will continue working with the kids there, Yaneisha remarks, “I might form a partnership with another hospital, but I won’t stop working at Montefiore.”

While Yaneisha intends to keep up her work with hospitals, she may expand her volunteer work in the future even further: “Maybe I’ll try doing something internationally,” she says.

It’s only a matter of time until Yaneisha develops a new, creative project to help other people somewhere else in the world. She hopes that her work will inspire other kids to follow their dreams and make a difference.

 

For more information about KidsCreate at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan, visit: www.cmom.org.