Bright Future: Unlocking student service

Published 12:01 am Thursday, November 24, 2011

Submitted photo Vidalia High School Key Club members recently had a work day at their school. From left, Destiny Jones, Phyllis Carroll, Courtnie Green, Sandrinia Hawkins and Dixie Thornton paint a picnic table.

Vidalia — Together the Vidalia High School Key Club can change the world, or at least the Miss-Lou they say.

From service projects, such as the Work-A-Thon, to fundraisers, such as the Miss Mess pageant, the Key Club hasn’t slowed down since it started in August.

The club was created through the efforts of Natchez Trace Kiwanis Club members and Vidalia High School.

Email newsletter signup

Amanda Wingfield, club advisor and teacher at VHS, said she enjoys working with students who are interested in making a difference in their community.

“Trusting these kids to be leaders and be responsible is a breath of fresh air for me because I know they can handle it,” Wingfield said. “We started out a little slow and rocky, but we’re making our way to becoming a very successful club.”

Nicholas Carroll, club president and a junior at VHS, said he enjoys coming together with his peers to help their community.

“We get to go out and serve our community and make a difference,” Carrol said. “I just want to be able to go out and improve the community.”

Linda Ngo, club vice president and a junior at VHS, said she enjoys being in the leadership position to set the bar for how other students should perform.

“Being in Key Club is great because you get to help the community, but you also get to hang out with your friends while helping,” Ngo said. “We’ve all bonded together.”

The group recently held a Work-A-Thon at which they cleaned up the school, painted picnic tables and painted parking lot lines.

Wingfield said they hope to have a service project and a fundraiser each month to make it to a national Key Club convention in Baton Rouge in April.

“As a first year group we’re really trying hard to make it to the convention,” Wingfield said. “That’s our main goal right now.”

Donations can be made to VHS Key Club and sent to the school.