After watching the film “Freedom Writers,” one student was motivated to create a group with the hopes of impacting children throughout the Fort Worth area.Jason Jacobus recently joined several other students to start F.R.O.G.S. for Our Future, a new student organization on campus.
F.R.O.G.S. stands for “Frogs Respect Our Growing Society.” The organization aims to provide guidance for students who want to help area youth and act as a liaison between students and local community service organizations, said Jacobus, a senior psychology major.
“So many times we forget about the kids because they don’t have a voice in society yet,” Jacobus said. “We will do anything we can to help the youth of the area see their potential and have the confidence to achieve it.”
Jacobus said members will be able to work with fundraising, mentoring, tutoring and service projects.
The group received approval from Student Development Services Tuesday night to become an official on-campus organization, Jacobus said.
F.R.O.G.S. has partnered with The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Fort Worth to provide opportunities for students to volunteer.
One of the seven branches of the club is in the Butler Housing Community, where there are opportunities to paint, put up new basketball goals and landscape, said Courtney Bryan, volunteer coordinator at The Boys and Girls Club.
Bryan also said students would be able to help with homework and participate in mentoring activities.
“F.R.O.G.S. for Our Future sounds like such a blessing because they really could turn the building around so that it is up to par with the other branches,” Bryan said.
Bryan said supplies for the various projects, such as paint and equipment, could be obtained through donations and fund raising.
The program will not require students to pay a membership fee, Jacobus said.
F.R.O.G.S. for Our Future has a Facebook group with more than 250 members. The group’s page has information about the organization’s goals and meetings, which are tentatively scheduled to begin Feb. 13.
“Sometimes students view TCU as an apathetic campus,” said Scott Nichols, a junior advertising/public relations major, “so whenever students take the initiative to do something for others it sparks interest across campus.”
The group members hope to eventually work with other non-profit organizations, such as Cook Children’s Medical Center, Ronald McDonald House Charities and the YMCA, to contribute to a wider range of local children, Jacobus said.
“We want people who are looking for their niche in order to help kids … because they love kids,” Jacobus said. “Many of us can remember those people from our childhood that impacted us, and I wanted to create a forum for student body and faculty from TCU to become that person for the youth in this area.