Cedar Hill High School students took on various volunteer projects throughout the community on Sat., Oct. 27, 2012 as part of National Make A Difference Day. The students were all members of the CHHS Student Leadership class and Student Council members. The Longhorns organized the volunteer projects.
Various student teams volunteered at Hope Mansion. “They were cleaning our windows, organizing our janitorial closet and garden shed, doing light grounds clean up and landscaping,” said Keith Semple, a Hope Mansion staff member. “Thank you so very much for a job well done. You certainly made a difference here at Hope Mansion!”
One group of students played bingo and games with residents at the Sterling House Nursing Home, while other student teams volunteered to pick up trash at Crawford Park and along U.S. Highway 67. Some students handed out flyers for the Cedar Hill Youth Sports Organizations. Volunteer teams also helped Bridges Safe House, the Cedar Hill Library, Tri-City Animal Shelter, and New 2 U Thrift Store.
“I enjoy making a difference for my community and school,” said Kirsten Owens, a 17-year-old senior.
Many of the students started Saturday morning volunteering to make the Fourth Annual Trunk or Treat a success at the high school. The students decorated the trunks of cars and filled them with candy, games and prizes. Each treat included a note to the younger students offering ideas on how they can make a difference every day by doing small things to make a big difference. The Leadership Class members made up the ‘make a difference’ ideas on the notes.
“I feel it is important to help nonprofits,” said Naomi Borrego, a 17-year-old senior. Naomi plans to major in nonprofit administration in college.
Thirty-nine Cedar Hill students gave a combined total of 156 hours to the Cedar Hill Community on National Make A Difference Day. Each Leadership student is required to perform 120 hours of community service a year. Last year Leadership students logged a total of 4,781 community service hours at an estimated value of $34,445.00. This years’ leadership team hopes to top that amount.
“I am so lucky to have the opportunity to work with this amazing group of young leaders,” explained Becky Rader, sponsor of the Student Council and instructor of the Student Leadership class. “They are driven and passionate about making their school and community a better place; this was just a small part of their greater goals.”
The Leadership team adopted a slogan at the beginning of the school year: “We didn’t just come to ‘make a difference’, we are here to ‘be’ the difference.”
