At Gwynedd Mercy Academy in Pennsylvania, a group of high school students recognized a need in a nearby nursing home.
While visiting St. Joseph’s Villa — a senior living community in Flourtown, PA — they met many residents who felt disconnected from their family and friends. So the students set out to find a solution to help every resident feel more connected.
During one of their visits, a student spotted a digital picture frame sitting on a resident’s nightstand. The idea clicked immediately: what if every resident had one? A simple frame that lets families send photos from anywhere in the world — keeping loved ones close, even from a distance.
The students got to work. They identified Skylight Frames as the right fit, and in a bold move, reached out directly to the company’s CEO, Michael Siegel, on LinkedIn. They didn’t expect a response. But Siegel — moved by the students’ desire to make a difference — replied within minutes and met with them the following week.
“The mind-blowing thing for me is that this project is all done by high school students. As I think about my own experience as a high schooler, it was all about getting good grades and passing tests. But I think a lot of us learn once we get older—it’s not about tests anymore. It’s about finding something that is authentically exciting for you to do in this world that you’re really good at that makes an impact”. — Michael Siegal, Skylight CEO
The students fundraised to purchase their first round of frames for St. Joseph’s residents. To help them go further, Lead4Change granted them $8,600 — allowing them to purchase 60 additional Skylight digital frames. Inspired by what these students had built, Skylight generously donated even more, ensuring that every single resident at St. Joseph’s Villa received a frame of their own.
Now, families from across the country send photos straight to their loved ones’ rooms. Every day, residents at St. Joseph’s Villa wake up to new pictures — a birthday party, a grandbaby, a backyard sunset — a reminder that the people they love are thinking of them.
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But Heart and Home didn’t just impact the residents at St. Joseph’s. It impacted the students, too.
“Before I started this project, I didn’t expect that I could make such a big impact in my community. This project has really helped me grow as a person.”
“After going through this Lead4Change experience, I’m gaining confidence to put my voice out there.”
For the students at Gwynedd Mercy, this was never just a project. It was a turning point — proof that when students are given the tools and the trust to lead, they are capable of far more than they imagined.
That’s what Lead4Change is all about.
Through the free Lead4Change Core Curriculum, students don’t just learn about leadership — they live it. They identify real needs, build creative solutions, and take meaningful action in their communities.
Heart and Home is what that looks like in practice: four students who saw a problem, refused to ignore it, and worked together to make a real, lasting impact.