Once a year, during the spring semester, the Mag Quad is infiltrated with small children, students, paint, and a LOT of desks. What do you get when you put all of this together?
If you haven’t guessed it already, it’s D.E.S.K.!
Having a place to study can make such a difference- it can really encourage children to excel in school. D.E.S.K. has been a staple at Wake Forest University since 2000, and this year’s event on April 16th promises to deliver yet again! For those of you who may not know, D.E.S.K. (Discovering Education Through Student Knowledge) is an annual philanthropic event where underprivileged children in Winston- Salem are provided with a desk of their very own, to create a space to study. They are paired with a team of Wake Forest students who work with them to create a customized, painted desk.
Organizations or just individual groups of students form teams of 5-10 by signing up online. Most years, many of the groups have more than 10 people who want to participate, as it is such a popular and fun event. In order to give everyone a chance to be involved, teams can create shifts that allow everyone to come at different times so that the child isn’t overwhelmed with the amount of people there. The group will also pick a team leader, who is there throughout the event and attends the pre-party. At the pre-party, which is on March 27th, the leader and a few other members from the team will draw out and design their student’s desk. They will also complete a craft coinciding with this year’s theme, “Madagascar”!
“I loved being team leader because I got to work with a student individually and see what an impact the project had in encouraging him to learn at home,” said past team leader Mayo River. “D.E.S.K. was a great way for students of all ages to explore their creativity and make learning fun!”
On the day of the actual event, which runs from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., student groups check in and meet their child on the Mag Quad. They work on painting the desk all day and it is a really fun experience for everyone involved. Food is provided and there will be a bounce house and other fun activities for the children to do when they want to take a break from painting. There will also be a raffle and prizes will be given to students under categories like: “Best overall desk,” or “Best Madagascar-themed desk,” etc.
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The co-chairs for D.E.S.K. this year are Meredith Browne and McKenna Begin.
“D.E.S.K. is such a unique experience because it brings together groups from Wake Forest with Winston-Salem children,” said Browne. “Walking around the mag quad every year on this day, I am overwhelmed with the joy not only experienced by the kids that are receiving their desks, but the student groups. I love that this project is collaboration among all of Wake Forest.”
Both McKenna and Meredith have been involved with D.E.S.K. throughout their tenure at Wake Forest.
“As Co-Chair this year, I am so proud of the happiness and encouragement we provide these children,” said Begin. “Rather than simply telling them that they should study or do their homework, we use these personalized desks to get them excited about it and encourage them to make the right decision about schoolwork. I think it’s a great model for parents, teachers, and babysitters to use to encourage less-fortunate children. Being a part of DESK has been one of the best things I’ve done during my time at Wake.”
D.E.S.K. is a huge event each year and is quite visible to all of Wake Forest’s Campus. This year there will be even more elementary school students.
“This year we will have around 55 elementary school children, with the majority of those being kinder-gardeners,” said Browne. “Since we pair up children with student groups, we will also have around 55 school groups as well. Each school group has 5-10 members, with many exceeding 10. That means there will be well over 600 children and students on the mag quad during event!”
When speaking about the importance of D.E.S.K., Begin put it well.
“Last year, one little girl wanted the top of her desk to say ‘Dreams do come true,’ which is exactly what we want these kids to understand,” she said. “By studying and working hard, they can be something great.”
So many children could use an opportunity like this. If you want to be a part of something special, sign up for a team today! For more information, go to: groups.wfu.edu/desk