Today we’d like to introduce you to Vivian Zhang, Jessica Zhang, Alvin Tang and Asim Suhail.
So, before we jump into specific questions about your organization, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
[Vivian] I founded Words to Heart because I think the experience of opening a handwritten letter is truly a special moment. Everything from the excitement in seeing my name on the back of the envelope to the rush of anticipation in breaking the seal, to the little explosion of happiness in my heart as I read the letter makes me smile from within. I thought, what if we could provide these small bursts of joy to community heroes who work tough jobs serving something bigger than themselves?
[Alvin] When Vivian approached me with the idea of Words to Heart, I was immediately captivated. I had always been appreciative of letter writing and it was something I really enjoyed doing, whether it was thank-you notes, birthday cards, or yearbook signings. I think receiving a handwritten letter from someone who really cares about you is a really special feeling, and I wanted to share this with members my community. As a Words to Heart officer, I not only want to spread gratitude and encouragement but also inspire my fellow classmates to play their parts in bringing positivity to the lives of others.
[Jessica] Sometimes, the best way to make your voice heard is to write it down and mail it! I am excited to make a difference in the community through writing letters. I’m looking forward to another great year as a part of Words to Heart!
In our very first letter-writing campaign in September 2019, we collected letters to firefighters from our classmates and delivered them to the Plano Fire Department. Since then, we’ve hosted regular meetings where students spend their lunchtime writing letters to different service occupations or other groups in need of encouragement each week. To date, we’ve had the privilege of delivering over 550 letters.
[Asim] I wanted to join Words to Heart because the idea of doing something as little as writing a letter to make someone’s day was appealing. I also love the way Words to Heart writes to many different groups, spreading joy over a wide range of people.
Has it been a smooth road?
Leading an organization like Words to Heart comes with its challenges. During the second semester of this school year, the COVID-19 disrupted our letter-writing meetings, which were held weekly during school. Consequently, it became difficult for our members to submit their letters and for officers to make announcements.
To increase efficiency, we delegated specific tasks, such as attendance, managing letter submissions, and making deliveries, equally among our team. We also created our website, which serves as a platform for volunteers to submit their letters and for us to showcase our impact within the community. Often times, our officer team will transcribe all web submissions before delivery in order to preserve the special essence of a handwritten letter.
With our new virtual system, we’ve delivered letters to the Queen’s Hospital Center, Costco essential workers, first responders and the Collin County Mobile Collaborative organization. Even though our new system required a lot of adaptation and learning, we’ve been able to expand our reach beyond the premises of Plano West, delivering letters written by members across the broader community. Although we’ve experienced a few bumps and bruises along the way, our officer team has worked well together and showed great initiative at all times.
We’d love to hear more about Words to Heart.
Words to Heart is a student-led organization dedicated to delivering heartfelt letters of gratitude and encouragement to members in all corners of our community. Many service workers are not always recognized for their efforts, and we wanted to do something to hopefully make their day. Our letter drives have been delivered across the nation, and we have partnered with like our school’s chapters of the National Honor Society and Key Club to increase engagement in the student body.
In the 2019-2020 school year, we had an amazing officer team that made possible letter deliveries: Vivian Zhang (President), Jessica Zhang (Vice President), Alvin Tang (Treasurer), Asim Suhail (Secretary), and Senior Representatives: Anqy Tong, Charles Lee, Gloria Jin, and Kyle Zeng. Words to Heart was inspired by the little things– holiday cards, notes on gift tags, and yearbook signings. Even though these seemingly small snippets aren’t lengthy, they hold beauty in the loops and curves of their handwritten scripts. Each person’s handwriting is one-of-a-kind, a small token of their identity when there isn’t a face to associate with the words. This kind of personal connection is what makes our cause special, and we hope to convey the same magnitude of love behind our messages to our community.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Plano is an amazing place to be spreading positivity. In the future, we hope to continue our momentum in delivering messages from all over our community, not just from our peers at Plano West Senior High School. If you’re interested in writing a letter, we always show who we are currently accepting letters to on our website, and you can submit a letter digitally through the form at the bottom of our website. Messaging us on Instagram or emailing us are more ways to get your letter delivered!
We also hope to secure more funding to cover letter-writing necessities such as cardstock, envelopes, and postage.
Contact Info:
- Website: wordstoheart.wixsite.com/home
- Email: wordstoheartpwsh@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wordstoheartpwsh/
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