H2O (Help 2 Others) is a community service organization that aims to help those in need in the Lakewood community. The organization is led by Amy Chodzin and Emmie Hutchinson and is made up of student volunteers from Lakewood City Schools.

H20 is a program in the Division of Youth of the Human Services Department that has a significant impact on every corner of the community. It provides students a chance to give back and serve their community, and experience the moral rewards of helping others.

“We serve all middle school and high school-age residents of Lakewood, and we have…an office to work out of at LHS. And we often use space here for activities and meetings, and we connect youth to opportunities to serve their community,” Chodzin said.

The organization focuses on meeting the community’s needs. For example, H2O has provided childcare for parents who wished to attend PTA meetings and required assistance. H2O also creates its own events to provide both service and fun.

“Breakfast with the bunny would be one of those where we provide a low-cost, fun-filled breakfast with the bunny for young families, and it’s totally served and created by youth,” Chodzin said. H2O also organizes service trips and leadership programs, developing young leaders who are eager to serve.

Service through H2O is centered on connection—connecting with other programs and organizations, people in need, and other students from Lakewood City Schools.

“In order to help the community, we just consider our organization part of the community. So while we are embedded in the schools,… we also try to maintain connections with organizations around Lakewood and Greater Cleveland,” Hutchinson said. These connections allow student volunteers to reach out to people they might not otherwise encounter, fostering genuine relationships and improving their lives.

Like any program, H2O faces challenges in maintaining its high level of success, particularly when working with student volunteers. “I think in working with youth, we are working with a population of people who have a lot of demands put on their time. I think there’s a lot of rigor in being a high school student these days…and on the other end of that, there are some kids who are disengaged and finding a way to authentically connect with them [is difficult],” Hutchinson said.

Students have many activities to balance with school, extracurriculars, homework, jobs, family time, and social lives. It can be difficult to contribute consistent time to service.

However, the rewards of being part of H2O are substantial. Senior Jelena Rodriguez said, “I think H2O builds a stronger connection between students and the community. Especially at the high school level, people are only really involved in school and not the rest of the community. So I think H2O helps [to bridge that gap].”

Being involved in H2O also helps students build essential life skills. “I think I’ve learned good speaking skills, but also leadership skills because I do a lot of work with younger kids, like elementary school students and middle school students,” Rodriquez said.

H2O is the perfect opportunity for students to identify community needs and find their footing in service. Chodzin summarized the value: “There’s a lot going on outside your school, and going out and lending a hand in the efforts to help others, or just simply bringing positive impacts to the community, shows them what’s going on out there. And no matter where they end up in life, I think they’ll be more productive citizens of that knowledge.”