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Seniors Help Make Summer Camp Possible for Underprivileged Children
When Clayton High School senior DECA members Brittany Blinder and Stephanie Villaire were thinking about a nonprofit for which they could raise money through their DECA Learn and Earn project this school year, the choice was easy. The pair decided to give back to an organization that has given both of them so much during the past six years: Sherwood Forest.
As sixth-graders, Brittany and Stephanie traveled with their classmates to the Sherwood Forest campgrounds in Lesterville, Missouri, for Wydown Middle School’s annual Sixth-Grade Camp trip. Both students enjoyed the experience so much that they decided to become Sixth-Grade Camp counselors throughout their high school years.
This year, Brittany and Stephanie took their affinity for Sherwood Forest one step further by selecting the nonprofit as the beneficiary of their fundraising project for the DECA District competition.
“We were thinking about an organization we had in common and both loved, and that was Sherwood Forest,” said Brittany.
DECA is a national organization that provides students with opportunities for personal and professional development in the areas of marketing, entrepreneurship and management. For their project, Brittany and Stephanie developed a game night fundraiser, where they invited sixth-grade students to CHS for an evening of fun and games. Students paid a $5 admission fee to attend the game night and could purchase food and drinks at the event, with all of the proceeds benefitting Sherwood Forest.
The game night raised $233.70 for the nonprofit. Brittany and Stephanie, along with CHS DECA Faculty Adviser Marci Boland, presented the donation to Sherwood Forest Executive Director Mary Rogers on Wednesday, Jan. 25. The donation will support Sherwood Forest’s summer camps for low-income children who might not otherwise have the financial means to attend an overnight camp.
“This is a great example of the way students come to camp as sixth-graders and return as counselors. They live for that week,” said Rogers. “But they recognize this place – their place – is also other kids’ place for summer camp.”
According to Rogers, the School District of Clayton’s outdoor education program, which dates back to 1951, is the oldest continuously operating outdoor education program in the region. This program has undoubtedly touched the lives of countless students and faculty members during the past 66 years.
To prepare for the DECA District competition in February, Brittany and Stephanie have written a 30-page report about their game night event, from inception to completion. They will have 10 minutes to present their project to a panel of judges at the competition. Based on their score, the students have the opportunity to advance to the DECA State Competition held in March, which is followed by the International competition in April.
As sixth-graders, Brittany and Stephanie traveled with their classmates to the Sherwood Forest campgrounds in Lesterville, Missouri, for Wydown Middle School’s annual Sixth-Grade Camp trip. Both students enjoyed the experience so much that they decided to become Sixth-Grade Camp counselors throughout their high school years.
This year, Brittany and Stephanie took their affinity for Sherwood Forest one step further by selecting the nonprofit as the beneficiary of their fundraising project for the DECA District competition.
“We were thinking about an organization we had in common and both loved, and that was Sherwood Forest,” said Brittany.
DECA is a national organization that provides students with opportunities for personal and professional development in the areas of marketing, entrepreneurship and management. For their project, Brittany and Stephanie developed a game night fundraiser, where they invited sixth-grade students to CHS for an evening of fun and games. Students paid a $5 admission fee to attend the game night and could purchase food and drinks at the event, with all of the proceeds benefitting Sherwood Forest.
The game night raised $233.70 for the nonprofit. Brittany and Stephanie, along with CHS DECA Faculty Adviser Marci Boland, presented the donation to Sherwood Forest Executive Director Mary Rogers on Wednesday, Jan. 25. The donation will support Sherwood Forest’s summer camps for low-income children who might not otherwise have the financial means to attend an overnight camp.
“This is a great example of the way students come to camp as sixth-graders and return as counselors. They live for that week,” said Rogers. “But they recognize this place – their place – is also other kids’ place for summer camp.”
According to Rogers, the School District of Clayton’s outdoor education program, which dates back to 1951, is the oldest continuously operating outdoor education program in the region. This program has undoubtedly touched the lives of countless students and faculty members during the past 66 years.
To prepare for the DECA District competition in February, Brittany and Stephanie have written a 30-page report about their game night event, from inception to completion. They will have 10 minutes to present their project to a panel of judges at the competition. Based on their score, the students have the opportunity to advance to the DECA State Competition held in March, which is followed by the International competition in April.