![Origami for Good Club president and junior Karlyna Chokry holds a handmade water bomb origami showcasing the intricate design of it. “I think the people within the club who make the origami benefit as well as the people who receive origami,” Chokry said. “Because origami is something that can be taught at a beginner level, when people create [origami]with their own hand, they feel amazed and it’s really cool to see people having fun.”](https://portolapilot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/1703525932904723099-1200x1200.jpeg)
From creating handmade origami to spreading hope, Portola High School Origami for Good Club offers students a space to express creativity while promoting emotional wellness.
President and junior Karlyna Chokry founded the club this year to give students the opportunity to create handmade origami crafts and send them with children, seniors, hospital patients and military personnel.
“I chose origami because I used to do it when I was little, and it’s something that you can do at a beginner level but it’s also something that can get even more advanced the more you go,” Chokry said.
The club is affiliated with the Origami for Good caps, a nonprofit organization that creates origami to spread joy and raise funds for charitable organizations. Portola High’s Origami for Good Club follows the same mission, sending origami to people while providing students with volunteering opportunities.
“Folding origami helps me relieve stress and relax from busy academic work,” sophomore Riley Na, a club member, said. “Knowing that what I make will go to people in need makes it even special.”
The club’s mission is also a celebration of Asian culture. Origami is a traditional Japanese craft, symbolizing peace and longevity. By creating and distributing origami works, members share their hopes and wishes of good fortune with the people who receive them.
“I believe that this club isn’t just simply sending origami to people, but it’s also about appreciating the Japanese heritage it comes from and respecting the tradition,” club member and junior Genevie Nguyen said.
Furthermore, the club encourages students to tap into their artistic side by creating a diverse range of origami designs, using various forms, from the essential mountain fold to complex maneuvers such as the sink, petal and reverse folds.
“We once made a water bomb, which is a cool inflatable origami piece,” Chokry said. “That was really fun.”
Looking ahead, members plan to expand their outreach opportunities and further organize potential campus fundraising events to support people by providing them supplies and necessities.
“I love that something as simple as a folded piece of paper can give [everyone] a light of hope,” Na said. “It makes me feel like I’m doing something small but meaningful for people who might really need it.”
