Habitat for Humanity

I wrote this article for Sentinel about a week ago:

Students as Board Members

     What is a high school student doing as an adult board member? The local Habitat for Humanity was asked this exact question after they put a high school junior on their board last December in hope of encouraging the youth to become more involved in their community.
 

     Habitat for Humanity (HfH) is “an ecumenically based, non-profit organization whose Mission Vision is a world where everyone has a decent place to live.” The South Lane County’s affiliate, here in Cottage Grove, has sponsored a number of events to make this community a better place to live. Part of that mission is to give the youth a “connection to the community” so that each generation works together, learns from each other, and becomes more united. There have been a number of events in the past, such as “Youth Build”, where teens gathered to construct houses for the needy.
 

     However, the Executive Director and Office Manager of HfH Linda Oxley expressed that the board has felt that a better connection with the high school students was needed. They believed that putting a student on their board might benefit both the student body and Habitat for Humanity by bringing them closer together. Thus in the fall of 2011, HfH sent an announcement to the high school, searching for a student who wished to become involved with them and whose “enthusiasm” would carry over to both their peers and the adult board members. They next sent an interviewer to the interested students, and finally found the perfect fit: Jessica Powell.
 

     When asked why she was interested in helping HfH, Jessica said it was because “Habitat for Humanity helps the youth feel inspired. They realize they can make a difference too.” Since she joined, Jessica has been given more and more responsibility. Most recently in July, she organized a can drive called “You CAN Help Habitat!” They gathered and sorted thousands of cans and bottles, which amounted to more than $1000. “That’s a lot of five cent cans,” observed one person. All the proceeds from this recycle drive went to HfH. For this next school year, she will concentrate on beginning a “Campus Student Club” at the high school to support Habitat for Humanity, as well as finding a suitable replacement for herself, since she will be graduating in the spring.
 

     Having a student on their board apparently could not have worked out better. The other board members love Jessica and her contagious energy. “She’s our energy drink,” said Linda Oxley. James Burke, the chairman of HfH, is now even encouraging other businesses and organizations to put students on their boards.
 

     Though they have no guarantee that every student will work our as well as Jessica, Habitat for Humanity seems to believe that the inclusion of more students onto such boards could only be a plus. It would encourage student support and unite the younger generation with the older. The students will be able to learn from the wisdom of the adults as they discuss events and their mission, and the adults will be able to benefit from the younger perspectives and zeal.