This year the NHS has decided to reach beyond the school community to help the city, nation or even world with current issues; and everyone can join in.

“Anyone at Eureka can become involved in NHS Outreach, whether they are an NHS member or not,” Henry Dieckhaus, chair of the environmental program, said. “It’s meant to encourage involvement from upperclassmen who aren’t members and underclassmen who can’t join yet.”

Aileen Markovitz has taken on the role as chair of the poverty program.

“I was just really interested in doing poverty because there’s so many people who need help and St. Louis has so many opportunities to help them,” Aileen Markovitz said. “I thought it would be something that other people would be very interested in as well.”

Aileen Markovitz is currently organizing a function for packaging food bags at the Arnold Food Pantry to help impoverished people who cannot afford nutritious food.

More information can be found during the poverty meetings, Thursdays at 7:30 a.m., in room 309.

By participating in multiple service projects students are given the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than themselves.

“The meetings make them understand and realize that they’re a part of a bigger world and that there are things outside of what they see day in and day out,” Mrs. Deborah Asher, head principal, said. “It broadens their horizons and increases the knowledge base of all students.”

Sean Markovitz, chair of the world hunger program, plans to get people together to help out at the Arnold Food Pantry.

“Not everyone can make a humongous difference, but I think if everyone puts in a small amount of effort, a humongous difference can be made overall,“ Sean Markovitz said. “I just want people to be a little bit more aware than they were before so that maybe if they see an opportunity to at least help the problem, then they will.”

During the meetings, Sean Markovitz shows a documentary, A Place at the Table, that explains the hunger issues throughout the United States.

“I’ve been to a lot of countries and I see a lot of homeless people who are starving and it kind of makes me feel bad. I have all this luxurious stuff like food and a house, and they don’t,” Justin Collins (9) said. “I think if people work hard together we can make a difference. I just want to help so I can help these people who can’t afford food… good food… like vegetables and fruits.”

Paul Caldo, chair of the health project, is organizing a breast cancer run and hoping to round up at least 100 people.

He is hoping to organize carpooling to the run on Oct. 25. To sign up for the run and find out information that is to be determined, just show up to the meetings.

“You know, most of the kids around here are West County princes and princesses,” Dr. Bill MacIlwee, NHS sponsor, said. “They don’t know what being ‘food insecure’ is or what ‘poor’ is or for a lot of kids, what being disabled is. They just need awareness.”

By organizing and participating in these programs, students will gain awareness of bigger issues other than an outfit choice or gross school lunch.

“One of our goals when we developed Outreach was to make sure that the program would last a long time,” Dieckhaus said. “We hope that the system we have created will last for years after we are gone.”

All meetings take place in room 309.

First Semester Poverty Meeting Schedule

• Every other Thursdays at 7:30 a.m, with the next meeting being Oct. 30

Hunger meetings

• Every other Wednesday, 7:30 a.m, with the next meeting being Oct. 29.

Environment

• Late-start Mondays, 3:05 p.m.

Health and Disabilities

• Every other Thursday, 7:30 a.m, with the next meeting being Oct. 23.