On Thursday, April 9, during WIN 2 and 3, Hands in Action Club partnered with Teaspoon, a modern boba tea franchise specializing in handcrafted, high-quality tea drinks, serving 108 people four different flavors of boba: Black Sugar, Thai Tea, Guava and Lychee.
The Hands in Action Club is a student-led organization that emphasizes inclusion, diversity and equity through community outreach. Its members work to support a range of underserved groups, including seniors and students with limited access to opportunities.
HIA Leader Laura Ramlie ’29 highlighted the club’s impact beyond the school setting.
“Unique among many on-campus clubs, Hands in Action extends its efforts beyond the school setting, organizing activities such as past trips to local senior centers,” Ramlie said. “In doing so, the club reflects Harvard-Westlake’s mission of fostering a ‘purpose beyond ourselves.’”
Ramlie also described the behind-the-scenes work that people might not expect.
“From researching under-resourced schools in the LA district that need STEM kits, to coordinating approvals and organizing volunteers, our team put in a lot of effort to make the event happen,” Ramlie said. “A big part of it was also spreading awareness about the cause and advertising to the school community.”
HIA Co-founder Jack Hong ’29 emphasized the initiative’s purpose.
“We chose STEM kits because not all students have equal access to hands-on learning, especially in under-resourced schools,” Hong said. “By providing these kits, we hope to spark early interest and make STEM more accessible and engaging for younger students.”
The kits, designed by students for students, are intended to be practical and interactive, allowing children to actively explore concepts through experiments rather than passively learning them. Through this approach, the club aims not only to provide resources but also to foster curiosity and long-term interest in STEM fields.
The $1532 raised will fund STEM kits to be donated to local primary schools in need of additional resources.
HIA member Amelia Chang ’30 spoke about her experience volunteering at the event.
“The fundraiser went great,” Chang said. “We got so many orders, surpassing our goals for participants and profit. The students were all super happy with their drinks, and it was an overall success!”
Looking ahead, Hong shared his vision for the club’s continued impact.
“As students who come from a more privileged background, we recognize the opportunities we’ve been given, and we want to use that to give back,” Hong said. “Our goal is to help narrow the gap in access to resources and create more opportunities for students in under-resourced communities.”
By continuing to expand its outreach, the club hopes to build on its current efforts and make a lasting, positive impact on the broader youth community.
