Shoe drive benefits Marshallese on Ebeye Island
As a former women's college basketball player, Jordan Wynn knows the importance of a good pair of shoes. So, when Wynn — who joined Lincoln Laboratory in 2022 as a biochemist in the Biological and Chemical Technologies Group — noticed the lack of shoes among kids on Ebeye, an island on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, she decided to do something about it.
Wynn first traveled to Kwajalein Atoll in summer 2023 to teach a Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI) course on basic medical image processing with the programming language Python. Founded by Lincoln Laboratory and MIT School of Engineering, BWSI engages high school students in hands-on, project-based learning across STEM fields. The BWSI program on Kwajalein Atoll is supported by staff stationed at the Laboratory's Kwajalein Field Site, which serves as the scientific advisor to the Reagan Test Site at the U.S. Army Garrison – Kwajalein Atoll. Participants in BWSI include students who live on base on Kwajalein Island and on nearby Ebeye Island, where most Marshallese people living on the atoll reside.
In coming to the atoll, Wynn joined her father Chuck Wynn, a fellow Laboratory staff member currently assigned to the Kwajalein Field Site; her mother, a teacher in the Kwajalein School System; and her two sisters, both on summer break from college. One of her sisters also played college basketball, and together they decided to host a basketball clinic on Ebeye, inspired by their love for the sport and desire to pay it forward.
"All of my passions can be tied back to role models I looked up to as a kid. Both in the basketball clinic and in the BWSI course, if even one kid now sees me as that person, then I am doing my job," Wynn says.
As Wynn explains, gender inequality still exists on Ebeye; according to custom, women are expected to cover their knees and shoulders, and, up until a few years ago, women were not allowed to play sports. "Giving the girls a chance to play and learn from other female athletes was the most rewarding part of the experience," Wynn adds.
The basketball clinic attracted approximately 400 kids. This large unexpected turnout far exceeded the sisters' supply of granola bars and oranges and the number of sneakers their former basketball teammates and men's team members had donated in advance thanks to a suggestion by Wynn's sister's basketball coach. Many kids played without socks or barefoot.
"The Marshallese kids were breaking the snacks into pieces to share so that everyone got some," Wynn explains. "Seeing their generosity and selflessness was inspiring. We wanted to make more of an impact on the Ebeye community, especially knowing that shoes are such a big thing to not only play sports and attend school comfortably but also prevent foot-borne diseases."
The Wynn sisters discovered Samaritan's Feet, a nonprofit that facilitates the sharing of shoes across the world. Over six months in 2024, the Wynn sisters led fundraisers at their respective organizations of Lincoln Laboratory and the economic consulting firm Bates White, collecting enough monetary donations to purchase 637 pairs of shoes and socks from Samaritan's Feet. Staff from both organizations directly donated another 30 pairs of shoes.
This past December, Adam and Mariah Gjersvik, both Laboratory staff members who work at the Kwajalein Field Site, handled the logistics of receiving the shipments from Samaritan's Feet. They also worked with leaders and members of the local community and school representatives to plan a venue for distributing the shoes and to spread the word about the shoe drive.
A few days before Christmas, the Wynn and Gjersvik families ferried over from Kwajalein Island to Ebeye Island and set up a mock shoe store in a covered outdoor auditorium-like structure. Shoes were sorted by size (both kids and adult), and types included sneakers, strappy sandals, Crocs, and slides. The Wynns and Gjersviks helped kids try on shoes and find the right fit.
"Spreading holiday cheer to such a grateful community was very special," reflects Wynn, who returned to the atoll with her sisters for vacation during the holidays. "My favorite part was seeing the excitement of the kids — whether they spoke some English or communicated visually through high fives or fist bumps — and watching them support each other by bringing more people around. Interacting with the local Marshallese, you learn so much from their culture and gain a different appreciation for and way to see life."
In the new year, Wynn returned stateside to the Laboratory's main campus in Lexington, Massachusetts. She has been thinking of different avenues to sustainably address community needs. One of her ideas is a campaign targeting oral health, another major concern on Ebeye.
"These kids have taught me so much about resilience, gratitude, and community. I'd love to start a program that has more of a long-lasting impact," Wynn says.
Inquiries: contact Ariana Tantillo.