In an effort to positively utilize and share Sacred Heart Prep’s resources once the school day concludes, the Fine Arts Department in collaboration with the Service Learning Department established the HeArt Exchange, an enrichment program for children from the Siena Youth Center in Redwood City. 

“We want to take advantage of everything we have here,” said Fine Arts Department Chair and founder Peggy O’Leary, who initially established the program focusing on visual arts, including photography and ceramics.

With the support of fellow faculty and student leadership, the program has expanded and meets once a week to offer the children a transformative experience. Lessons highlight different disciplines, allowing them to spend one week learning about instrumental music to working in the Robotics Lab or editing photos using Photoshop. 

O’Leary’s goal is to expand the HeArt Exchange to a daily program under the tutelage of SHP students leaders, who would facilitate different sessions based on their areas of interest.