by Kristine

In these tough times, we’ve witnessed our West Palm Beach community come together to support each other in so many ways. Here is a story of how a few people made a big difference to one student.

Jennifer McQuown, Youth Services Manager at the library, saw a Facebook post that a friend’s daughter wanted donate her iPad to a teacher to give to a student in need. Jennifer connected her to Kristen Filardi, one of the library’s Homework Center teachers, who then delivered the iPad to one of her students who exclaimed that he couldn’t believe he now owned an iPad “like the library.”

As a teacher at neighboring Roosevelt Elementary of the Palm Beach County School District, it is not uncommon for Ms. Filardi’s past and present students to excitedly greet her when they see her at the library. The student pictured has been visiting the library regularly with his family since the 2nd grade after immigrating to the United States. He struggled with grasping to learn a brand-new language and was held back after failing to pass a reading test requirement this year. Through working with Ms. Filardi most days after school, he was able to make vast strides on his literacy skills, passing a required reading exam, and moving up to 4th grade mid-school year. After being asked which teacher he wants for 4th grade, he asked to be in Ms. Filardi’s classroom. The principal agreed and placed him in Ms. Filardi’s classroom.

The Homework Center is sponsored by The West Palm Beach Library Foundation and provides an atmosphere of support and a place where children can gather to complete homework assignments with certified teachers and trained volunteers Sundays through Thursdays during the school year. Although the library is closed to the public due to COVID-19 at this time, the Homework Center continues to have a positive impact on the City of West Palm Beach.