Rustic Spirit Spotlights: School Clubs in Indiana, California and New York
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Rustic Spirit Spotlights: School Clubs in Indiana, California and New York

In Rustic Spirit Spotlights we highlight young people around the world who are creating positive change in their communities. This week we have another spotlight featuring high school clubs that are doing impactful work as a team.

Participating in a school club is a great way to get involved with volunteering and develop a passion for impact work. Clubs are often already involved with local organizations and initiatives, so joining is an excellent introduction to service work.

These high school clubs are filled with awesome teens who are working to help people in need, protect the environment, and better their communities. We are honored to recognize them!

Connections Club
Carmel High School
Indiana, United States

The Connections Club regularly visits a local nursing home that focuses on memory care. Each person has a “buddy” that fosters a long-term relationship and creates a deep bond between the student and the senior.

The club aims to help bridge the intergenerational gap and help people feel less lonely. They also have a pen pal program in addition to the regular visits. The Connections Club has positively impacted these seniors’ lives through their caring actions.

Impact advice: Just do it. If you have an idea, execute it. The truth is, everyone wants to help or feel like they’re doing something good. You can start a group just like ours at your own school. It’s a little that makes a lot.

SOCE Club
Granada Hills Charter High School
California, United States

The SOCE (Students Organizing Civic Engagement) Club provides students with a strong foundation in civic education to motivate youth civic engagement. The club provides information about government levels members can get involved in as well as social causes.

Some of the club’s past events include a multi-week educational series about the US immigration system, a voter registration campaign that reached over 5,000 students, and a drive to collect household items for individuals experiencing homelessness. Currently, SOCE Club’s members and leadership team are arranging a winter charity event.

Impact advice: Research an issue, and then get involved. One of the easiest ways that change stagnates is because people see an issue that matters to them, then don’t know how to help, and do nothing. If you are interested in making a change it does not have to be big, you just have to do something.

Charity Club
Benjamin N. Cardozo High School
New York, United States

The Charity Club encourages their community to come together and help out, one local charity at a time. Currently the club is raising funds to donate to an organization that helps unhoused individuals. They hold restaurant fundraisers which are also a great way for club members to get to know each other.

The Charity Club gives students the opportunity to gain service hours by writing kind-hearted letters to elders and has also donated to St Mary’s Children’s Hospital. While positively impacting their community through supporting local charities, club members also brighten school spirit with various projects.

Impact advice: Collaboration is the most important aspect of making an impact. It is much easier and more effective if a student is able to find a community that they enjoy being in. By creating this community we are a lot stronger and able to make a bigger impact.

Nominate a Student

Do you know a student doing valuable work that deserves to be recognized? Nominate them here! Are you making an impact? Tell us about your work here.

Make Change

Interested in creating change in your community? Check out our guide and learn how to make an impact as a student.

At Rustic Pathways, our goal is to make positive contributions to the communities we visit through responsible travel operations and community service projects that contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

About the Author

Kayla Anzalone

Kayla joined Rustic Pathways in 2020 as the Director of Special Projects. She has nearly a decade of experience in communications and marketing. At Rustic Pathways, Kayla is dedicated to helping high school students discover their passion for exploring the world through summer travel programs. She drives impactful initiatives to empower students through meaningful travel experiences worldwide. Based in San Jose, California, Kayla loves the outdoors, live music and travel.