With her Samoan Culture Club at Stafford Elementary, Ala Talo creates a sense of belonging for students.

The kids know they’re dancing, singing and working on art in their after-school club, but Talo has a bigger mission in mind.

“I encourage them to try something different, and it works. When a kid has self-confidence, they show up and show off,” she said.

Part of Beyond the Bell, the Samoan Culture Club is an extension of Hearts for Kids, a program Talo helped found several years ago with the support of Greentrike.

At that time, she learned the value of teaching kids about all different cultures, and the role dancing can play in it. She developed an after-school program curriculum based on what she found.

“Kids need to know they have talent,” she said. “They need to have someone believe in them.”