Children of Steel

By Jennifer Lin and Eli Half, rising seniors at Pittsburgh Allderdice High School

Like the teamwork that defines their organization, Jennifer and Eli worked together to write this account of Children of Steel’s history and accomplishments. In this first part, Jennifer tells us why she founded this studentled volunteer organization.

COVID-19 has had a destructive effect on the education field. As a student at Taylor Allderdice High School, I experienced firsthand some of the obstacles many students had to face, including online learning. On the first day of virtual school in March of 2020, I noticed my 8-year-old little sister struggling to join class meetings and learn elementary math. I thought to myself, “If my little sister and friends were falling behind, how many other students were experiencing the same?”

To combat this difficult scenario, I founded the studentled initiative Children of Steel (COS) in June of 2020. The goal of COS was to promote and support education by implementing a free online tutoring program for grades K–5, staffed by high school students. It became clear that some low-income families lacked supportive education. In response, the COS team and I designed a program that was accessible and flexible for all families anywhere. Parents and teachers can sign up their children and students on our website. The tutoring program consists of one-on-one tutoring after school on weekdays in subjects like Math, English, and Science.

We began as a team of four: me (Founder & Executive Director), Arina Sokolova (Assistant Director), Eli Half (Communications Director), and Dora Gordon (Media Director). Through teamwork, COS expanded beyond Allderdice to other high schools and communities around the U.S. Now, more than 350 elementary students and 450 high school students participate in COS programs located in Pennsylvania, New York, Arkansas, and Maryland.

Here, Eli picks up the narrative, explaining how COS has grown since its founding.

As it grew as an organization, COS expanded beyond free tutoring. The program began developing new ways to help other community missions. This started the trend of “Chapter Initiatives.” On non-tutoring days, COS high school tutors volunteer together in local community organizations and start their own initiatives to lift the community. COS members have volunteered many hours at Community Kitchen Pittsburgh; hosted soccer donation drives for kids in Cameroon, in Central Africa; donated 180 pounds of food to the local food bank; and even initiated a trash clean-up for Earth Day. The list continues with many more incredible efforts from these high school students!

Even after the return to in-person learning, Children of Steel continued its educational impact by creating a free, online, 4-week summer camp in 2021. During this camp, elementary schol students were able to meet their peers from around the U.S., participating in fun activities such as virtual Olympics and learning how to code. Jennifer Lin said, “The summer camp helped students connect and learn from each other, which was much needed due to the isolation created by COVID-19.”

Together, Jennifer and Eli reflect upon the past and the future of COS.

Children of Steel has always been student-led since its inception, but we know that to reach its fullest potential, we need a close-knit group of adults and high-school students working together. Currently, Children of Steel is in the process of expanding and transforming into a non-profit organization, which includes establishing an adult board. The COS team is searching for passionate adults willing to guide and mentor COS’s evolution into a non-profit as well as its expanding mission.

COS has accomplished many feats in its short two years as an organization, and we’re proud to have been recognized by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,Neighborhood Allies, and Startable PGH! We have touched the lives of many children and communities across the country and would like to reach many more.The initiative has grown tremendously since its launch.Starting from sibling love, Children of Steel is now home to emerging leaders, endless smiles, and lasting friendships. With teamwork and dedication, Children of Steel can accomplish its mission to promote the importance of education. Now, we can’t wait to expand across the nation and create new bonds between generations.

If you’d like to support Children of Steel in its mission, please reach out to us at support@thechildrenofsteel. org or jenniferlin@thechildrenofsteel.org! Check out our amazing accomplishments on our website (thechildrenofsteel.org) and Instagram (@thechildrenofsteel).