KHS service projects: November

Emma Lingo, editor-in-chief| November 19, 2019

There’s almost always something going on at KHS with service, whether it be a Kirkwood Service Group activity, National Honors Society event or club fundraiser. This is the November guide to KHS’ service projects and list of places where you can donate.

Diaper Drive

Emma Lingo
Diaper collection bins are scattered throughout the halls of KHS where students and staff can drop their donations.

Dates: Nov. 1-22

Drop-offs: Innovation Center, diaper bins placed throughout the school, your homeroom

Goal: 1,800 diapers and $1,000 in monetary donations

The St. Louis Area Diaper Bank is looking for help from KHS students to gather diapers for families in the St. Louis area with newborn babies and potty-training children. Various sizes are needed ranging from sizes 4-6 and pull-ups. According to Philip Cotta, co-sponsor of the drive and history teacher, the original goal was $450 in monetary donations. They exceeded that goal and are now sitting around $750. Their new goal is $1,000.

Next Monday, the leadership team will bring the donations to the Diaper Bank and also be volunteering four hours of their time along with all of the juniors that take classes in the Innovation Center.

“We started something called the leadership council,” Cotta said. “[The students on the council] wanted to do something for the community and the kids wanted to be involved in leadership, so we coupled the idea of a Diaper Drive with that the juniors need six hours of service. This way they get to lead and knock out those six hours.”

Feminine Hygiene Product Drive

Emma Lingo
Coalition posted signs throughout the school to promote their drive.

Dates: Nov. 18-22

Drop-off: Second-hour classrooms have collection bags

The Coalition is looking to collect pads, tampons, liners, and money from the student body this week. All proceeds will go to Gateway 180, a homeless service center and shelter, and Kirkcare, a non-profit that helps families in need. They’re offering a donut party to the second-period class that brings in the most products to donate.

Bottle cap Bench Project

Emma Lingo
Bottle cap bins are placed in popular eating and drinking areas in the school where students and staff can drop their caps once they finish with them.

Dates: Oct. 15- Feb. 1

Goal: 550 lbs. of bottle caps, which is monetarily $600

Drop-offs: Bottle cap tubs throughout the school

For the next three months, there will be bottle cap collection tubs around KHS where students can toss their bottle caps once they’re finished with their drinks. In February, the caps will be driven to Indiana where they will be transformed by a specialized recycling company into a bench for KHS. The bench is intended to go in the courtyard surrounded by the Art Building. This project is a part of Sydney KorinekFuchs’ senior project focusing on mental health and the outdoors. She hopes to give KHS students a place to relax outside and escape from the stress of school.

“I knew I wanted to do something with mental health because it’s such a huge problem in America and with students,” KorinekFuchs said. “The bench idea came from my swim coach and her niece. They did it for environmental sustainability, but being outside also helps with mental health so I figured the bench idea also tied into my own senior project.”