Everything Under The Sun: Community Service Rocks At Mt. Hebron High School

Thursday, February 16, 2017

Community Service Rocks At Mt. Hebron High School

Entrance to Mt. Hebron High School.

Let's visit one of Maryland's public high schools, MT. HEBRON HIGH SCHOOL in Ellicott City. Since 1964, this high school has been in operation; this year's enrollment is 1,577 students, and it is part of the Howard County Public School System.

Mt. Hebron is noted for having several types of community service projects. One of them is Change Matters, which began in 2008 after Grassroots, Howard County's homeless shelter, started receiving a large number of requests for services from people and families in need. The high school's program raises money and support for the shelter throughout the school year.

One of the biggest supporters of Change matters is Guidance Counselor, Trish Derwart, who discussed fundraising, "It has been huge to the Grassroots crisis and has served the people who come in there. It has many different uses from transportation to supplies, and Grassroots does so much. That money is going to a great cause."

The Change Matters program has grown since it was first started. Originally, it was a pilot program conducted in the high school, but now other Howard County schools also participate in the program. This year Mt. Hebron engaged in a friendly fundraising race with rival, Centennial High School, to see which school could raise the most money. This year, Mt. Hebron raised $1,370.38, exceeding last year's total of just over $950.

One fundraising participant, senior class member Mikaili, said, "My involvement in the community has grown a lot as a senior because I've begun to realize the value of helping those in need and the good that it brings back. Mt. Hebron is consistently providing support in the community and sets an example on how to give back."

Mt. Hebron's Drum Line.

Since its beginning in 2008, Change Matters has raised a total of $100,000 from all of its participating schools. And, remember, all of that money has helped Grassroots serve those most in need in Howard County. An addition has been the amount of experience that these youth have gained in providing from the heart through this wonderful program.