The Brookfield Central student body continuously finds ways to impact the lives of others by lending a helping hand. Although service clubs such as Key Club, Red Kettle Club (RKC), National Honor Society (NHS), and Spanish Honor Society (SHH) work year round to serve the community, their busiest time of the year is from November through December.
Key Club, one of BC’s largest organizations, provides almost 400 high schoolers with a surplus of opportunities to volunteer during this part of the year. Executive Board member Kiley Smith (‘17) says, “The holiday season is definitely our busy volunteering season. There are more events centered around the holidays that need our help. Most organizations have holiday events because they are easy to get people to attend and are generally successful.” Smith, along with other executive members, encourage those in the club to take part in holiday themed runs, festivals, and events.
Red Kettle Club is also extremely busy during the last few months of the year, as it grants high school students the opportunity to serve through the Salvation Army’s programs. Co-President Kajal Khatri (’17) says that throughout the holiday season, “Our schedule is packed with bell ringing, Christmas caroling, and holiday fairs.” It has also been noted that during this season, members create Christmas cards and serve food at homeless shelters.
NHS executive board member Catie Conlon (‘17) explains that NHS spreads their Christmas cheer through “holiday related events, such as making wreaths for a hospice center, delivering cookies to the Humane Society, volunteering at Ronald McDonald Christmas Fantasy House which is a fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House, helping at races on Thanksgiving and close to the holiday season.”
Similarly, Spanish Honor Society spreads warmth during the cold winter months. Advisor Mrs. Kathy Dubiel says, “Our mission is to bring awareness and importance of language leaning to our fellow students and to support the Hispanic community through service.” In order to carry out this mission, the club plans to make a difference at La Casa de Esperanza by providing wrapped gifts for children in need.
The holidays are brimming with opportunities to make a difference. The community takes pride in how much students are able to give back to the community. These are true traditions expected to last for many years to come.