CCHS seniors engage in community service

Churchill County High School seniors are learning that it is better to give than receive, especially when they volunteer to help their community.

English IV students in Monica Fairbanks and Myke Nelsen’s senior classes are required to complete six hours of community service and then write about their experiences.

Fairbanks and Nelson set up a presentation in the school’s auditorium, and then students visited with various organizations and agencies to discuss opportunities.

Fairbanks said the senior project gives students an opportunity to volunteer and then report to class on the experiences.

By beginning the selection process now, Fairbanks said seniors will complete their six hours of volunteer service by the end of October.

For example the Churchill Community Coalition was seeking volunteers to help with their events such as last week’s suicide awareness and prevention day at Laura Mills Park or Saturday’s Color Run and family day.

“It’s good to have community service on your record and it’s good to help out,” said CCHS senior Andrew McArthur, who volunteered for the suicide awareness event because he has a group of friends who have struggled with depression and have thought of suicide.

Kristin Sheldon of the coalition said they have been happy with volunteers who either work at events or in the office designing brochures for the events.

“They get to educate other teens,” she said of the office assistants.

Churchill Economic Development Authority needed two office assistants and help for the Food Hub’s farmers market, while both the library and museum sought students to help in the various departments.

Highland Village’s Destiny Allsop, the activities director, said the assisted living facility looks for seniors who want to play bingo with the residents or assist with arts and crafts.

“It humbles them (high school seniors) with the elderly because they realize what it will be like for them at that age,” Allsop said.

At the museum and library, a group of students said they enjoy working on special projects or with the younger students in the reading programs.

“I love this program,” said children’s librarian Jeslyn MacDiarmid. It’s a great way to get volunteers who show an interest in the library. The environment here is like a job fair. I love working with the kids.

Patty Fleming, a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, said the church is having a Fall Festival on Sept. 24, but the committee still needs volunteers to help with the games and other activities.

Fleming said interested seniors may call the church at 775-423-2846.