Student Clubs & Organizations: How Teens Are Making a Difference
by Piper Langenfeld
In schools across Anne Arundel County, students are making a difference through clubs and service organizations that give back to their communities and the families in them. Between hosting hoodie drives and donating huge amounts of food to those in need, these teens are putting their best foot forward to make Anne Arundel County
STUDENT SERVICE LEARNING LEADERSHIP TEAM In a fantastic show of collaboration, the Student Service Learning Leadership Team (SSL Leadership) connects multiple representatives from different high schools all around Anne Arundel County to promote service projects that benefit the community. To become a representative for their school,
students must apply and partake in a short interview. With the team’s leadership meeting twice a month, the students hone in on issues specific to their communities. This past winter, the organization focused on “Spreading Smiles,” where these students helped create dental hygiene packs for kids in need. The campaign not only improved dental care for adolescents but also helped improve their mental health and self-confidence.
the best that it can be. By encouraging their students to engage in similar service acts and providing a ride when needed, parents can motivate their teens to get out of the house and uplift others. UPPER SCHOOL ONYX CLUB AT ANNAPOLIS AREA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
The Upper School Onyx Club of Annapolis Area Christian School performing in their Black History Month celebration. Photo courtesy of Susan Hall
Upper School Onyx Club, a Black student union from Annapolis Area Christian School, is making waves in their community. Formed in the 2022-2023 school year, the student club focuses primarily on cultural unity and equity between students. Not only do they organize and participate in their annual Black History Month celebration, which includes dancing, music, educational artifacts, and spoken word, but they also dive deep into charities to help those in need. Over the holidays, the Upper School Onyx Club hosted their first-ever Thanksgiving food drive. The students raised and donated over 100 pounds of non-perishable food items to the Anne Arundel County Food Bank. Joi Jackson, the vice president of the club, reflected, “Onyx Club has been a great [developmental] source for me individually. I have been able to grow in ways I wouldn't have imagined, as well as stepping outside of my comfort zone and providing the ability to serve and do something for the greater good as opposed to myself.” With a focus on improving the community’s cultural enrichment and intellectual growth, the Upper School Onyx Club gives back to their community through charity and art-based celebrations. The club also focuses on children’s education by offering different learning opportunities, such as listening to guest speakers like Billie Keyes, a World War II Army veteran who was a part of the historic 761st Tank Battalion, and by sharing Black history facts at their weekly assemblies during Black History Month.
Upon finding that many girls were using menstrual products longer than suggested due to a lack of accessible pads and tampons, SSL Leadership also helped raise thousands of period products with global and local non-profits, a project called, “Go With the Flow.”
The Student Service Learning Leadership Team at one of their monthly meetings. Photo courtesy of Lori Fowler.
APRIL 2025 | 21
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