Salem High School Principal Clint Wolfe says he’s amazed by the amount of service projects students have participated in during the holiday season.
He feels service is something important for students to learn.
“I think whenever you think about what we want for our students, obviously we want the academics and the athletics, but I think one of the most important parts of growth and learning that happens is just in the human heart, and having compassion for each other,” Wolfe said. “That’s a teachable thing too, because sometimes people have different experiences with that in their homes. I’m really proud of our school and the way in which many organizations have done that and done it very quietly. They did not toot their own horn; it was just something that they’ve done. I’m proud to be a wildcat because of a lot of people here who did those things.”
Wolfe says it started with the canned food drive that brought in 23,000 cans of food this year. With the food pantry at a larger facility in the Grace United Methodist Church, several student organizations have also volunteered to help on pick up day.
The Peer Helpers partnered with the Modern Woodmen to buy and deliver 140 presents to those in area nursing homes where they also visited with the residents.
The National Honor Society assisted with the Centralia Community Youth Center and WJBD Radio Adopt a Family program. Members shopped and wrapped gifts for the families receiving assistance. A few other Salem High School groups also adopted families through the program.
The Math Essentials program also participated in a budgeting competition that included the purchase of gifts for the less fortunate.
And Salem Community High School students for the third year in a row received a ‘thank you’ as the first semester came to an end prior to the Christmas Break. Now Assistant Principal Kelsey Pogue started the program when a special education teacher.
“We did end up with about $4500 in donations from area businesses and individuals,” Pogue said. “We were able to purchase 652 gift cards.”
That’s enough for every student to receive a gift card. Pogue
