After many well needed years of annoying the older siblings and using youthful innocence as an excuse to disregard any restrictions from parental figures, the time inevitably comes where the teenage years begin to disintegrate and form into something less beseeching: Adulthood. Becoming a responsible adult requires more than masticating an appetizing plate of proportional veggies and meats. It entails time to seek responsibility for the possibility of leisurely living.
When the clock strikes, teens are forced to hop off their high horses and get around to the misery of writing a resume. Impressive material is needed in order to grab the attention of colleges, including things like community service. Community service is a generous way to help the community, while also improving the chances of attending a decent college. This is why Courtney Ford, sophomore at Pea Ridge High School, decided to start a Community Service Club and make a big difference in our small community. She is also the founding president of the club.
"I was in a SEEK (a school-affiliated group for gifted and talented) meeting and we had to write resumes," Ford said. "I realized how bland it was and how little I've actually done. So it inspired me to start helping others.
"A week or two later, I told Lorrie Klein, secretary of Community Service Club, and Schuyler Brooks my idea for a club and they jumped on board. That's when we started talking to Mr. (Mat) Wood, assistant principal, and Mr. (Jon) Laffoon, principal, about making our idea official."
After describing what they hoped to achieve through the educational program, the girls received approval from the Pea Ridge School Board which responded to the girls' proclamation with pride.
In mid-October, Pea Ridge High School gained one new scholarly club.
"I think I was surprised," Klein said of the School Board's and school officials' approval. "I had a feeling they would approve it, but at the same time I was thinking, 'wow this is really happening.'"
Being in the Community Service Club would be a great way to get involved in our community and learn more about the people in it. They are an inspiration to many students due to their drive to help others in our town. With goals like visiting Autumn Place, a retirement home in Pea Ridge, cleaning up the mess in the football stadium after the Friday night lights turn off and attending a variety of charity events, the club members aspire to encourage others in town to come together as one.
The girls agreed: "We have a lot of goals for service ideas but our biggest goal in this is to reach out and make our community a better place for everyone."
The Community Service Club is a courageous way to begin life as a responsible, kind-hearted adult, and a creation the School Board will not regret approving.
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Editor's Note: Lindsey Bush is a junior in Mrs. Roxanne Enix's journalism class at Pea Ridge High School. The club about which she wrote purchased money and boxes of chocolate for a local girls' home with their own money, without fundraising or sponsors, according to Enix.
Community on 02/19/2014