November 1, 2023 by Eliza Krackeler (‘24)
Stories for Success’ idea of what it means to be successful has shifted throughout the years. On a macro level, Stories for Success is all about providing books for families in need. But what that looks like has changed in recent years. In the early stages of the project, Stories for Success focused solely on providing books to new parents and babies at Saratoga Hospital. They were and continue to be a huge success with a great story to tell about their efforts. This year, however, the organization is searching to expand their outreach efforts to other hospitals in the community and beyond.
Sahiba Jassal is a senior at SSHS and the Chief Financial Officer for Stories for Success and is also a writer on the Lightning Rod. She is also looking to include school libraries as the next new donation recipients. She said, “Currently we’re working with the Schuylerville School District and their Universal Pre-K program to provide books for preschoolers.” A relatively new organization, started in 2019 by Ciara Meyer, these passionate students are taking Stories for Success to a new level.
But this requires hard work from the members of the organization. At the conclusion of each meeting, the President of Stories for Success, Stacy Chen, organizes and delegates tasks to the board members to promote the club’s mission. Jassal’s job is often in the preparation of books for donation. She said, “My tasks include book packing, organizing packing sessions with volunteers, and managing all money going in and out of the club.”
This club’s mission can’t be carried out without help from volunteers and student and staff donations. Contact sjassal@sscsd.net for more information if you’re interested in volunteering your time or your books! Volunteering with Stories for Success can help in the completion of NHS, Tri-M, or other groups’ community service hours. Contributing to this organization’s goal is also a great way to give back to the future students of Saratoga Springs and beyond.