By Jordan Jenkins
As 2017 draws to a close, we now find ourselves in the thick of the holiday season with it all the festivities and traditions of consumerism that have become its modern mainstay. Here at Apopka High School, however, many clubs and organizations are seizing the opportunities provided by this season to give by participating in a diverse array of charitable causes. They range in form from things like drives and donations to actual in-person volunteering.
Perhaps one of the largest of these charitable activities is being conducted by the school’s chapter of National Honor Society, which is teaming up with the organization Feeding Children Everywhere to pack, “10,000 healthy meals” that will be distributed to local families in need.
Another example of the charitable season can be seen in the interclub basket drive, which is annual and is currently being lead by Darter Success and Avid teacher Ms. Demetria Richard. For the basket drive, they reach out to many of clubs, teams, and organizations at the school and ask them to donate a pre-made baskets of food and other necessities.
“Right now, I only have two that have signed up already, but generally it’s from class councils, SGA, PLC’s, and families donate,” she said about the drive and the participation it sees. “So, it’s a wide range of different clubs. Every year it’s a little different.”
The Gay-Straight Alliance is getting involved as well, having launched a donation drive for toiletries and monetary contributions, all of which will be going toward the Orlando-based Zebra Coalition. As described by junior Macks Topinka, who is currently heading up the project, “The Zebra Coalition is a nonprofit organization that helps LGBTQ+ youth find homes … after they’ve been kicked out.”
“We are collecting toiletries and putting together care baskets to send and we are also taking money donations,” he informed me, later elaborating that, “The Zebra Coalition is doing a holiday drive sort of thing, where they are trying to give each kid at least a $100 worth of gift cards.”
A recurring theme throughout all of these charitable activities is the feeling that there is a heightened need for giving and charitable attitudes during the holidays. For Macks Topinka, he found importance in ensuring that all people, regardless of their situation, could experience joy this season.
“A lot of kids out there don’t have families to spend the holidays with, and that can really take a toll on somebody’s mental health,” he said. “Just putting a smile on somebody’s face is worth it.”
Ms. Richards told me that she felt people with privilege have a duty to give back, saying, “I believe the saying, ‘To whom much is given, much is required.’ So that if we have it, and were able to help and bless someone else, then we should give back.”
Ms. Enid Meadows, who is currently the National Honor Society sponsor, told me that while she found charity to be important year-round, it held special importance in the holiday season.
“We need to remember that this is a time of joy, family, and giving. It is also the time to reflect and realize how fortunate we are to be able to make the lives of others just a little bit easier.”
She also said that she found importance in sharing the spirit of giving with students, saying “It is important for students to be involved in these types of activities because it teaches them compassion and caring for others. By participating in packaging these meals, our students will realize that even as students, they too can help and have an impact on others.”
