Wildfires burning in and around Los Angeles over the past several weeks have killed at least 28 people, forced thousands to evacuate, and destroyed homes, businesses, schools and community centers. Many residents have lost nearly everything they owned to the blazes.

In the days and weeks after the destruction, though, people and businesses near and far rallied together to support those affected. Restaurants helped feed emergency workers and evacuees. Aid groups worked to collect and distribute donations. A gas station became a relief site where weary residents could find food, clothing and connection.

Have you been following the news about the wildfires in Southern California? Have you or anyone you know been affected? What stories about people coming together to help those in need have inspired you? Have you or your family contributed to the relief effort in any way?

In “A Fire Relief Effort by and for Teenage Girls,” Callie Holtermann writes about an eighth grader who started a donation drive for teenagers whose homes burned in Los Angeles:

A few miles from the rubble left behind by the Eaton fire, a Los Angeles art studio grew densely packed over the weekend with the supplies a teenage girl might need to start over.

Sports bras and graphic T-shirts dangled from hangers. Converse sneakers were arrayed by size on the concrete floor. Clear plastic bins overflowed with deodorant, hair products and pastel pimple patches.

All of the items collected in the airy warehouse in the Boyle Heights neighborhood were free to teenagers whose homes had been incinerated in the city’s devastating wildfires.

While many relief efforts for victims of the fires have focused on more acute needs like shelter and food, Avery Colvert, an eighth grader in Pasadena, started a donation drive called Altadena Girls last week with a slightly less obvious remit. She wanted to offer young women essentials they had lost, plus some of the everyday luxuries that might help restore a touch of normalcy to their lives.

The article continues:

Ms. Colvert, 14, created the Altadena Girls Instagram account on Friday with the help of her stepfather. Her house was spared, but many of her friends’ were not, she said in an interview with Time magazine. Her middle school, Eliot Arts Magnet, burned down.

She posted a call on social media for new clothing, hygiene and beauty products, specifying the kinds of items that she thought would be deeply appreciated by teenage girls once they had secured food and shelter.

“I started hearing from my friends about the stuff that they desperately needed, but were either afraid or ashamed to ask for,” Ms. Colvert wrote in an email. “Girl stuff. Teen girl stuff. Everything from bras and underwear to makeup and stuff to just make them feel like themselves.”

Students, read the entire article and then tell us:

• What is your reaction to Ms. Colvert’s efforts to help teenage girls affected by the wildfires in Southern California? What do you take away from her story?

• Tell us about a time when you helped others in a big or small way. Maybe you volunteered your time or donated money to an organization. Perhaps you showed up for a friend who was struggling or did something kind for a stranger. Or maybe, like Ms. Colvert, you started a club or organized a fund-raiser to support those in need. Why did you decide to step in at that moment? What unique skills and talents did you contribute? How did helping out make you feel?

• Have you been on the receiving end of such an act of generosity? What did it mean to you?

• Fred Rogers, known to generations simply as Mr. Rogers, said he was always comforted by something his mother would tell him during times of disaster: “Look for the helpers. You can always find people who are helping.” What helpers have you been impressed with, whether in your own community or the world at large? Why do you think Mr. Rogers found it comforting to pay attention to them? Do you?

• Do Ms. Colvert’s efforts inspire you to lend a hand to the fire victims or to people in your own community who might need help in some way? In what ways can you contribute?

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.