Wawasee High School seniors Emma Young, left, and Jaclynn Worrell were part of the fourth grade class at Milford Elementary that started the Kehoe Kids project, raising money to purchase books for kids at Riley Children’s Hospital. They have continued to stick with it over the past eight years and are now getting ready for their final charity auction. Photo provided by Emma Young.

By Lilli Dwyer
InkFree News

As the end of the 2024 school year approaches, Wawasee High School students Jaclynn Worrell and Emma Young are preparing to wrap up an eight-year charity project with one last auction for Riley Children’s Hospital, starting Monday, April 22.

Kehoe Kids is named after Diane Kehoe, a retired teacher and lover of reading who passed away from cancer. Before her death, Kehoe had donated her books to Milford Elementary’s fourth grade class. The class library became known as Diane’s Corner.

The project started up in 2016. Inspired by Kehoe’s passion for reading, the fourth-graders decided to honor her memory by raising money for new books for the kids at Riley Children’s Hospital. Students sold snacks, fined teachers for wearing blue jeans and got on the phone with local businesses to get them involved in a charity auction. Their efforts raised $13,400 that year.

Since then, Worrell and Young have been the ones to stick with the project, purchasing over a thousand books with the funds raised through Kehoe Kids auctions. They also donate to the Makenna Van Laeken Foundation, which goes towards liver research at Riley, and have sponsored Riley’s iconic Red Wagons.

The girls have had their challenges balancing charity work with normal student life over the years.

“It definitely is hard sometimes to make sure everything is taken care of in both places, school and Kehoe Kids,” Young explained. “But at the end of the day it is so worth it, I love doing this and will miss it next year!”

It has also been an opportunity for growth for the both of them and an experience that will stick with them as they move into their futures. Young credits the project with helping her sharpen her communication skills, something she believes will be vital in the nursing career she’s pursuing. Worrell has readjusted her outlook because of it.

“I feel that it has changed my perspective on life, especially on my bad days. Sometimes it takes me to think about these kids we are trying to help and I have to think about how there are so many people who have it worse than I do. So in a way this project has made me learn to be thankful for everything I have,” she said.

As the final charity auction approaches, the girls reflect fondly on the time they’ve spent on Kehoe Kids.

“It is definitely bittersweet but I am so proud of all we have accomplished, and I just know that Mrs. Kehoe would be so proud!” said Young.

“It definitely makes me proud knowing that it has made this big of a change, but overall I’m super proud and happy with how this entire thing has turned out,” Worrell agreed.

The final Kehoe Kids Annual Auction will take place from 8 a.m. Monday, April 22 to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 27. All bidding is online at kehoekids.givesmart.com.