Jack Killeen
Business Manager
Webster Groves students and staff are helping the less fortunate this December with a variety of charities and fund raisers. From blood to canned food drives, Webster is giving what it can to those that need it.
STAR
Preschoolers, parents and students have combated the cold by donating their new or gently used mittens to charity. The mittens collected were used to fill a mitten line and tree in the preschool classroom before they were donated.
Junior Keara Schweiger said, “I think it’s a great idea, the children learn that helping others can be fun by literally lending a hand.”
In the past, the mitten drive has been able to bring 30-100 mittens in.
Preschool teacher, Diane Stromberg said, “Our goal is to teach the kids to give to others. I have no idea how many mittens I want, but whatever I can get is good.”
NHS
National Honors Society adopted two families through the Circle of Concern.
NHS members agreed to purchase one gift for each of the families. They have been doing this for the last couple years.
Nicholas Kirschmann said, “We live in a pretty privileged area, and we can spare some cash.”
NHS also sponsored the blood drive that took place Dec 6.
Senior Sam Short waited for the first time to give blood, with an apple juice in hand, like 62 other students who donated a total of 44 pints of blood.
Senior Eric Grumke said, “It’s a way for students to spread what’s in their heart, literally and figuratively, to the whole world.”
DECA
DECA collected and donated teddy bears to give to Shriners hospital for Children earlier this month.
Patients in Shriners include children with orthopaedic and neuromusculoskeletal disorders and diseases.
Webster-Rock Hill ministries received leftover DECA shirts from DECA.
DECA also collected cans to make visual art. They displayed the models made from cans throughout the school. A couple included a “minion” from “Despicable Me” and a train. The can visual art tied in with DECA students’ visual merchandising unit.
The cans were afterwards given to Interact Club for its canned food drive.
International Club
The International Club decided to adopt an immigrant family this winter.
Until January, it will collect donations of household items for this Burma-native family. About two weeks ago, the International Club adopted the family through the International Institute.
Items asked to be donated include kitchen items, cleaning products, furniture and other essential items. The family is a mother, father and two-year old.
Emily Pott and Deborah Bohlmann’s Contemporary Literature classes took donations for a similar drive through the International Institute as well but did not adopt a family.
The Contemporary Literature classes were taking donations until Dec. 13. Their goal was to have everyone from Contemporary Literature classes donate at least one item,
Bohlmann said, “I think the best part is students in the Contemporary Literature classes think about life other than themselves.”
STUCO
Student Council is collecting toys for children in need this holiday season.
The toy drive, sponsored by Project ARK, will benefit over 1,000 up to 14 years old children affected by HIV/AIDS.
Toys must be donated within Dec. 20, and must be new and unwrapped. Money and gift certificates will also be accepted.
“The gifts provided through this program are typically the only toys these children receive during the holiday season. It makes a world of difference in providing hope and happiness during the holidays,” Washington University Department of Pediatrics said.
Interact Club
In competition with Kirkwood, the Interact Club is collecting canned foods going to Webster-Rock Hill ministries and the Webster Groves Episcopal Church.
Since the number of students per school is different, a ratio equaling the number of cans to student is calculated to decide the winner. The winning school receives a trophy comprised of a can of pork and beans, two spoons on the side as handles and an upside-down bowl on the bottom.
Last year, Interact Club collected 3,341 cans, equivalent to 2.5 cans per student. This competition started back when both Kirkwood and Webster had a Key Club. Kirkwood contacted Webster and ever since it’s been benevolent war.
Interact Club is also adopting a family through the St. Louis Crisis Nursery and raising money through selling Yo My Goodness during lunch.
