There are a variety of different student-run clubs to get involved with here at The Hill. Whether students share a common interest or are involved with raising money for a charity, there are more than 50 clubs in which students may participate. A Club Fair was held on October 7 in which students were able to sign up for the clubs that were of most interest to them (see photos above).
Below, four students share information about the clubs he or she is involved with for the 2009-10 school year:
Arsema '10, Botswana
Club: Keep a Child Alive (KCA)
This club supports the organization Keep A Child Alive which raises funds to buy antiretroviral medication (ARVs) to for people living in Africa who are infected with the AIDS virus. Some of the money raised by KCA also is used to build clinics. For more info go to: www.keepachildalive.com.
"Being from Botswana, the country with one of the highest death rates from AIDS, I have been greatly impacted by the effects that AIDS has on the environment and the people around me. I have lost friends and family to the virus, and, therefore, I am very passionate about this cause," says Arsema. "Most Africans don’t have access to treatment or they can’t afford medication. ARVs allow people with HIV/AIDS to live longer and this is very important because many of these victims leave children and family behind. I started this club at Hill because I know first hand what a big change KCA can make in an AIDS victim’s life."
There are more than 25 students who are participating in the KCA club this year. They will be designing t-shirts and selling them to raise money for the organization. Plans for a dress-down day (for students who purchase and wear the KCA shirts), a roller skating party, and a talent show are planned for this fall.
Zoey '10, New Jersey
Club: Hill Cares
Hill Cares is an organization that strives to bring a global perspective to The Hill School. Through PlanUSA, the club has sponsored a boy from Brazil named Lindomar Sampaio. The donations collected by Hill Cares proceed to a sustained support of Lindomar’s access to basic necessities such as food, medical supplies and education. In past years, the club also has supported charity: water, an organization that brings clean water to impoverished areas of the world.
According to Zoey, "Our hope is that through organizations that focus on sustainable aid and development, we will be able to make a difference that goes beyond a one time donation."
Hill Cares held a fundraiser in October in support of Lindomar and raised more than $1,000!
Callie '11, Florida
Club: Operation Smile
The Operation Smile club has been very active at The Hill for many years. The club supports the non-profit organization, Operation Smile, that raises money to pay for surgeries for children who have cleft palates and other facial deformities and cannot afford surgery. According to Callie, the goal of Hill's Op Smile club is to "raise awareness and inform our peers how they can help, and why they should help."
There are more than 60 students who are interested in the Operation Smile club for the 2009-10 school year. To raise funds for Op Smile, the club will be holding a holiday candy sale in December and a flower sale in February. Plans are in the works for a large fundraising "carnival" that will have a lot of fun activities and events for the The Hill community to enjoy in April. The club members also hope to visit with students at local middle schools in an to attempt to get more younger kids involved with the organization.
"I do Operation Smile because I want to help spread the word about how people can help and why they should help," notes Callie."I really enjoy the fact that the money raised in Operation Smile goes to a very important cause, and changes the lives of many children just by allowing them to smile."
Seth '11, Pennsylvania
Club: SPEAK
SPEAK is a new club at Hill with the goal of allowing in The Hill community to speak their mind in order to relieve stress, discuss problems, and talk about new interests or excitements in their life.
Seth created SPEAK in response to the Rev. Al-Herring's talk about diversity. He says, "The club's goal is to boost morale in The Hill Community, inspire students, and maybe even solve problems in students' lives. SPEAK is not a club that has set members but about 15 people come to the meetings per session and the meetings are a great way to talk about what is on your mind."