This holiday season, WSH is giving back to the local community. The school is running a number of drives that have been considerably successful in the past. The hope is to raise awareness for students and help those in need.

  “I think that everyone feels good when they are able to support and help others. We just want to contribute and help others in a fun and easy way,” music director Wendee Wolfschlarf said.

  People who participate in the drives can emotionally benefit from donating since they are helping the cause and impacting those around them.

  “It allows people to feel more connected to their community. Because we have a really large student population, even if a small percentage participates, then still a lot of materials are able to be given,” National Honor Society (NHS) President senior Jonah Hochstetler said.

  NHS can provide a number of these opportunities as they run multiple school-wide drives. Even for the students who don’t contribute, there are still some benefits of doing these drives because they can help build awareness.

  “I don’t know how many people think about having dry or clean socks, but I know if my feet are cold, I am not a happy camper. So I think being aware of those small but important needs that are out there, gestures don’t have to be large or expensive to be helpful and impactful,” Wolfschlarf said.

  The holiday season typically picks up right as cold and bad weather does. So usually this time of year is especially when people need help from donations and drives such as these.

  “The holiday season is a time [when] people are very fortunate to have a lot of fun and then less fortunate people struggle sometimes and it’s a simple way for a lot of people to give back,” Hochstetler said.

  Participating in drives not only makes students feel good about themselves but allows them to feel part of something and help the greater community.

  “It brings people together and it’s a simple way to make a difference in somebody’s life. Each site has a way of making it kind of fun, I think [students] look forward to it,” Wolfschlarf said.

  The drives really allow for students and those who donate to involve themselves in bettering their community.

  “It’s a good way to promote individuals giving back to the community and it’s just an easy thing to do to get people involved,” Hochstetler said.