Elizabeth Forward High School students participate in Night of Service

Three new groups joined the volunteer effort this year.

Elizabeth Forward High School’s Student Government Association hosted its fourth annual Night of Service Wednesday evening.

The event brought together 107 EFHS students from six student groups to complete nine service projects for the community.

Student leaders Abigail Michaels and Brookelynn McPherson, who organized the Night of Service, hold care packages to give to community members in need. Sarah Pellis / Mon Valley Independent

“It keeps getting bigger, and we have three new groups this year,” SGA sponsor Dr. Jennifer Spiegel said. “I really think it’s good for kids, and I am excited that the kids embrace it. We want people to see the kids doing good things, and they have good things to do.”

Participating student groups included the Student Government Association, Leo Club, Tri-M Music Honor Society, Interact Club, the middle school student council, Elizabeth Guardian Angels, Students Against Destructive Decisions and National Honor Society Interact Club.

From left, Elizabeth’s Guardian Angels volunteers Stephanie Squibb and Robin Poirier assisted EFHS’s annual “Night of Service” event by donating $500. This donation provided materials to assemble SGA care packages for different people in need.

Each organization independently planned and funded a unique service project aimed at supporting various local and national causes.

Projects included bags for nursing homes, care packages for different areas, a food and professional clothing drive and much more. All projects were funded by various student organizations, according to Spiegel.

Future Ready Leaders was a new student organization that participated in making care hygiene packages for Liquid Vibes Coffee for the coffee shop’s pantry. Senior student Bailey Dora encouraged the club to help this year.

“Bailey had a really good idea, and we kind of

Elizabeth Forward High School’s Student Government Association (SGA) hosted its fourth annual “Night of Service Event” Wednesday evening.

tossed some different things around, but ultimately, we had this stuff donated to us through a different organization,” said Kelly Kearns, sponsor of Future Ready Leaders. “We wanted to make these for (Liquid Vibes) because it directly impacts the community.”

The Guardian Angels, a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to providing assistance to citizens in need within EF communities, donated $500 toward getting the materials to make a couple SGA care packages for people in need, according to volunteer Robin Poirier.

“They wouldn’t have been able to put the baskets together, and they needed help,” Poirier said. “This is the first time we are seeing this, and it’s amazing. To have kids this age engaged in something like this, it’s hard. It’s a really needed event for the community.”

Junior students Brookelynn McPherson and Abigail Michaels, who organized the event said they have been working it since November.

They said the cards for first responders and bags for UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital they put together are new this year.

“We have a new senior citizen home, so this is kind of their way into the community, and we have bags for chemo patients just to give them activities to do, and something to put a smile on their face, along with the kids at Western Psychiatric Hospital,” McPherson said. “Just to give them something to do.”

Students packed bags, which were funded by the GBU Life Pittsburgh, in 20 minutes. They included hygiene bags, snack bags and moral bags for soldiers overseas, according to Ken Elliott of GBU for Operation Troop Appreciation in West Mifflin – totaling over 750 bags.

The GBU Challenge Program encourages members to make a difference in their communities and the environment through volunteering and donations. Elliott said the partnership with the school district helps with that – giving money away to senior students.

Students moved on to several other stations to make things and fill bags of goodies for people in need. Spiegel said they make the stations so volunteers can move around so they don’t have to do one activity the whole evening.

McPherson and Michaels said having the clubs work together is a joyful time for the students involved, as well as the people they get to help.

“I like bringing everyone together,” Michaels said. “To bring all of us together to help our community, and others in need shows that we have a school community. It makes me happy. Just a simple act of kindness can make a difference.”