By Shauna Sandhu December 19, 2022
This article is part of CHS Journalism's series about clubs at Centerville High School. If you have a CHS club/program you'd like an article written about, email us at centervillejournalism@gmail.com or use the form at the bottom!
For anyone who wants to give back to the community or needs service hours, CHS has some wonderful clubs that focus on providing these opportunities for students. Key Club, which was founded through the Kiwanis organization, is one of those wonderful volunteer-oriented clubs.
During their November meeting, members helped to pack candy for military soldiers. An interview was conducted with Ikechi Nwokoro who runs the club along with officers Matthew Lee, Spencer Drylie, Brianna Becker, and Delphine Camp. He was always interested in volunteering as he participated in other service clubs but liked Key Club because they allowed him to offer advice and have his voice heard.
We got some insight about how fun and busy meetings are with such a large group these past few months. Club advisor Mrs. Yokatj explained, “It’s been fantastic this year with over 150 students coming every month, it’s so wonderful to see students wanting to do service projects”. They emphasize that they provide manageable but fun opportunities to earn hours during meetings. These include painting pumpkins or making cards, though leadership team makes sure to provide projects outside school to help the St Leonards Retirement Home programs, St Vincent De Paul homeless shelter, PVS Winterfest, Rotary Club Pancake Breakfast, and more.
Ikechi told us about how he started the St Vincent De Paul outreach program where they help out in the kitchen to prepare the food they serve. He enjoys the close knit community in the club as it values such opportunities. ¨It’s amazing that so many people come to show their support¨, he mentions.
The officers and Mrs.Yokatj really encourage the participation as it’s great for the community. One of the other officers, Matthew highlighted, “This is a great opportunity for students to interact with the community as we facilitate opportunities through multiple programs so anyone who joins can get a good experience”. Make sure to check out their Instagram: @chskeyclub to see photos from their meetings. Anyone interested should drop by at the monthly meeting on Tuesdays afterschool in East Commons.