Back home in Bangkok, Thailand, Claire Kietduriyakul could see the construction site camps for migrants, with poor living conditions and young children going unschooled. That, she said, inspired her to do something. So in the summer of 2024 she taught math and English to children of migrant workers in Bangkok as a Norton Fellowship project. 

“I am glad I was able to give the children that experience,” Claire, a junior, said. “They do not have proper access to education, so seeing how schools can be reformed is interesting to me.”

Three other Norton Fellows completed projects over the summer: seniors Rachael Lantner (STEM project to create and test rockets with underserved youth in Hartford); Sally Hayes (teaching environmental stewardship to children in New York), and Georgia Biasi (teaching piano to kids at the Stamford Boys and Girls Club).

The fellowships, administered by the Norton Family Center for the Common Good, enable selected students to pursue their interests and become more engaged with their local communities over summer break. Students must apply and, if chosen, each receives up to $1,000 to help complete the project.

The Thailand construction industry employs about 700,000 migrants, and about 60,000 children live with parents in construction site camps, according to the Baan Dek Foundation, which says “these children and their parents face critical challenges in accessing essential services such as education, healthcare and child protection.”

Claire said her experience of planning lessons for the children helped her think ahead. She also said she had to adapt to the needs of the children.  

Rachael called her experience in working with children on STEM projects “amazing.”

“A lot of students out there are interested in STEM but haven’t had much exposure,” Rachael said. “A lot fell in love with what I was doing [such as 3D printing], and it was great to see them light up when they started to understand. I wanted to expose younger people to the idea they could follow what they love ... and to inspire them to follow their passions.”

Sally’s fellowship included working on an environmental program with young children at the Boys & Girls Club of America in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., where she read and then offered activities that connected to the reading. She also was part of a one-day farmer’s market and did a STEM lab at a local museum. She called the experiences an “impactful” way to give back.  

“I was happy to see the kids get excited about this, bringing their attention more to the environment, especially as climate change is becoming more important,” Sally said. “So it was fulfilling to know I am helping someone see this, too.”

Sally said she always has enjoyed being outdoors with her family and was aware of the importance of environmental stewardship from a young age, and all that has coalesced at Loomis, where she is in the Global & Environmental Studies Certificate (GESC) program, serves as an environmental proctor, and participates in a College-Level Guided Research Project in Environmental Sustainability.

Georgia said she started playing the piano in the second grade, and music has been a passion. “It has been a way I have bonded with others, challenged myself, and learned it was OK to make mistakes,” Georgia said last spring before embarking on the Norton project. “As I reflected on the joy and fulfillment the piano brings me, I couldn't help but acknowledge that musical education is often inaccessible due to its high cost, depriving many children of the opportunity to experience the joys of music. I chose this project because I wanted to take a step toward making musical education accessible to all.”