A little girl didn’t even wait for us to drop our backpacks from the moment we walked through the school doors at 2:00 PM on Tuesday, she sprinted across the hallway and threw her arms around one of our ILS students, nearly knocking him off balance. The instant hug said everything. That single moment set the tone for the rest of the afternoon.
“It’s important to me because I love seeing the kids’ faces light up every time we come, and I love seeing them grow since I’ve been in SALTT my whole four years,” said senior Ainoa Haliwa.
SALTT, which stands for Service And Leadership Today And Tomorrow is a student-led service organization and one of the biggest service clubs at Immaculata-La Salle High School in Miami. Upholding the Catholic Salesian values, it’s way more than just a club you join to rack up volunteer hours for college applications. Instead, it’s all about getting off campus, taking action, and making real connections with people in the Miami community especially young kids and local migrant farmworker families. Whether it’s a field trip and fun afternoon events with games and crafts, running holiday supply drives, or helping out behind the scenes at school retreats, SALTT gives students a practical way to step up as leaders, show up for others, and actually live out their faith.
“The most important part of SALTT is showing the kids that they are seen, valued, and loved. Yes, we bring games and snacks, but what they give us in return is so much more. They bring us hope, joy, and optimism,” said Theology teacher, Ms. Katie Church.
When the clock hit 12:00 pm on Tuesday, we loaded up and headed out to two schools, Highland Elementary School and Our Savior Lutheran in Lake Worth, Florida. As soon as we arrived, the atmosphere kicked into high energy. We started off with a gratitude activity, sitting in small circles with the kids to talk and write about what they were thankful for. Hearing their honest, simple answers immediately broke the ice and set the tone for the rest of the day. From there, the room turned into absolute organized chaos. One station was dedicated to decorating cookies, complete with plenty of frosting and M & M’s. Right after they switched gears to a competitive spelling bee and fast paced math games where everyone was cheering each other on. To round out the afternoon, we held a paper airplane competition, testing out different folds, launching them across the room, and seeing whose design could fly the farthest.
“One of the most important parts of working with the kids is knowing that they feel loved by people in their community. The kids get so excited when the “Miami kids” spend time with them because for a few hours, they are happy. The Miami kids show them love and see them for the kind, loving children they are,” said Mrs. Yvonne Alvarez, Social Studies Department Chair.
While the games, crafts, and snacks make the field trip fun, the true heart of SALTT’s visit goes much deeper than the planned activities. Many of these children come from incredibly tough situations, dealing with the constant stress of broken homes, financial hardship, or the pain of having parents separated, detained, or deported by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). For kids carrying that kind of heavy emotional weight, an afternoon like this isn’t just a distraction, it’s a safe space where they don’t have to worry about adult problems. This is about making these kids feel seen and giving them the attention they need.
Isabela Dimond says, ”My favorite part is getting to see the kids and putting a smile on their faces. It’s such a gift, in my opinion, to go and make these kids feel better, loved, and seen. I feel really happy to be a part of that.”
