Natural Helpers program highlighted; superintendent details holiday drives and family supports

At the meeting’s 'Panther Spotlight,' Kimberly Kenny, leader of the Natural Helpers leadership program, described a new high-school program that currently includes 12 seniors meeting twice weekly and aims to add 24–30 juniors next year. Kenny said the program will hold a retreat March 19–21 at the Dunes learning center where students will stay in cabins and rotate through sessions focused on leadership traits such as communication and trust. "When you pick leaders from a school, you end up picking students from different groups of people," Kenny said, explaining that the seniors will lead juniors and the experience builds school culture.

Superintendent Leah reported that students and volunteers helped pack 58 'buddy backpacks' for students who need weekend meals and that community groups are sponsoring holiday gifts. Leah said she had identified at least 60 sponsors and that Crystal Rowe and local volunteers—referred to as 'Christmas elves'—were coordinating gift drives; she also noted Mrs. Castidis from a Greek church in Maryville had sponsored 25 meals for families in Griffith.

Kenny described the program as "active and interactive," saying past implementations have returned positive feedback and the district hopes the leadership training will spread positivity through the school buildings. The superintendent also described plans for a 'book and gift bus' with several neighborhood stops and said Operation Care is collecting family gift lists for those in need.

What happens next: Staff will continue recruiting juniors for the Natural Helpers program, finalize retreat logistics for March, and communicate holiday-distribution and family-support details to families and volunteers.