Two Upper School students offer menstrual health education for NYC’s newly-arrived immigrants with the launch of FlowEd.

[During our volunteer hours], we talk to asylum seekers as we help them shop, often joking and getting to know them. I find [this experience] unexpected because we hear about [immigration] in the news everyday, but actually having a conversation and laughing with people humanizes the experience in a way that is indescribable. – Chloe Guedes Smith ’26

In 2024, Grade 11 students Chloe Guedes Smith ’26 and Elizabeth Rorech ’26 launched an impactful initiative to promote menstrual health education, FlowEd. They created and distributed a multilingual pamphlet of information, available in Arabic, French, English, and Spanish, and now available digitally on their educational website. The site offers links to information on menstruation including fast facts, articles addressing public health and hygiene issues about periods, societal stigma and taboos, and a PDF of the pamphlet. It also features digital fundraising, with proceeds donated to menstrual product kits for local NYC shelters.

The pamphlet’s translations were reviewed by Poly faculty members, including World Languages faculty Francois Monroc and Amy Richards, and History faculty Dr. Max Shmookler. Offering the pamphlet in multiple languages expanded access to the information across a broad range of communities while simultaneously embracing cultural sensitivity and a genuine interest to support diverse populations through menstrual health education. 

Also instrumental in navigating the development of FlowEd were Computer and Information Science Department Chair Jean Belford P’24, ’30 and Director of Service Learning and History teacher Elijah Sivin. Sivin also heads Poly’s Service Learning Teams (SLT). The SLT program provides students with real-world experience which foster social responsibility, experiential learning, and community care. During their tenure in Upper School, students participate in Service Learning Teams (SLT) as part of Poly’s enriched offerings for service learning and global studies. Outside of Poly, Rachel Lotus, founder of The Talk NYC, mentored the students and encouraged the expansion of the project.

Over a year ago, Guedes Smith ’26 and Rorech ’26 began volunteering with Little Shop of Kindness, an organization supporting newly-arrived migrants, as part of their work with the Asylum Seekers SLT. Their growing interest in immigration, fueled by research and deepened through real-life experiences and personal interactions with newcomers, inspired them to address a critical health need by creating material resources. Their printed pamphlets about menstruation were excitedly received by the Little Shop of Kindness staff in June 2024. Guedes Smith ’26 shared that, “the staff helped us find a place to display them so it would be visible to all shoppers, and they were very curious to know about our project.” The duo often return to Little Shop of Kindness to check on the display while volunteering, happy to see that many from the stack are gone — a sign that they are helping address a need. 

Guedes Smith and Rorech’s studies in Poly’s World Languages Department have buoyed their ability to connect with those they serve at Little Shop of Kindness. Guedes Smith, who takes French and speaks Portuguese at home, and Rorech, who practices her Spanish with native speakers at the center while volunteering, have used their language skills to build meaningful connections. As they delved deeper into the migrant crisis through these new and personal connections in New York City, they became passionate about addressing the lack of healthcare access for undocumented individuals, especially women. Combining this passion with their interest in reproductive health, they focused their efforts on creating resources to support menstrual health.

“Finally creating the pamphlet and having this physical manifestation of something we had been planning for so long, and pertaining to issues we deeply care for, was so fulfilling.” – Elizabeth Rorech ’26 

Over the past year, the two have dedicated themselves to raising awareness about menstrual health, supporting the provision of reproductive health resources and supplies, and continuing their work with Little Shop of Kindness. In October, they hosted a fundraiser, selling a variety of clothing items, shoes, and accessories to raise money for menstrual products. They also plan to expand their website, with the goal of making it a trusted resource where anyone can access vital information about menstrual health.