At just 8 years old, Carol Myles Villani possesses a level of compassion rarely seen in children her age. Instead of spending her recess on the playground, she chooses to connect with children with special needs at Sea Gate Elementary in Naples, forming meaningful bonds with them.
She recently used her own money to buy the children in the modified curriculum class a present. Then she went to their classroom to show them how to put together the doll puzzle she purchased. On Fridays, she eats lunch with the class, helping them open their fruit packages and talking to them about their day. Other times she gives up recess to go into their classroom and assist them with their work.
Carol Myles wanted to spread the joy she gets when helping these children, so she created Smiles for Miles at the school. She recruited other students in her class and enticed them to give up some of their recess time to be with the children in the modified curriculum (MC) classes. Now she is planning to expand their time with them by adding activities such as crafts or games before school once a week.
“You see special needs kids and you just bring joy to them and play with them on the playground, maybe help them draw or write,” Carol Myles explained.
The youngster became interested in helping others when she was in kindergarten.
“When I was in kindergarten a kid [from MC] got mixed up in my class and in our line, and everybody else started laughing. I asked him whose class he was in, but I could not understand him, so I got a teacher and they helped him,” she described. “I knew he didn’t feel comfortable, so I wanted to help him.”
Ever since then, she had been wanting to find other ways to help these children and this year, she started Smiles for Miles.
“I was so excited and I was very proud of Carol Myles for spreading her happiness and joy and spreading our culture that includes everybody,” said Katie Carney, guidance counselor at Sea Gate. “It is amazing to think that a third grader recognizes that too.”
Carol Myles creates projects for her club to do each month. One month they made posters, and in February they made Valentine’s Day goodie bags. Other times they come up with games to play. She recently designed t-shirts bearing the Smiles for Miles logo that she created for club members to wear. She even roped her family into helping. Her father is running a golf tournament that will fund a special event for the children, which Carol Myles hopes will be a trip to Chuck E. Cheese or a bounce house party during non-school hours.
On a recent Friday afternoon, a kindergarten student in the modified curriculum program rushed over to give Carol Myles a hug. Soon, some of the other students joined in, hugging the third grader and giving her big smiles.
“It makes me feel super happy that I’ve made a change,” Carol Myles said. “I want the other kids to learn that they are just like us, but they have different personalities and meaning in this world.”