Community Corner

North Hills Students, Staff Assist Many throughout the Year

A review of North Hills School District students and staff charitable activities shows an impressive amount of giving.

It is the season of giving, and the community has contributed thousands of dollars in cash and donations to local and national nonprofit organizations. 

Here is a list of some of the charitable efforts of North Hills students and staff:

* North Hills Senior High School’s National Honor Society collected hats, gloves, scarves and socks for the patients at Children’s Hospital.

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* The North Hills Senior High class officers and student council coordinated a community-wide food drive to benefit the .

* For the fourth consecutive year, the Athletics & Activities office collected new, unwrapped toys to benefit Toys for Tots and Children’s Hospital. Ninth-grade student athletes participating in the Will Allen Foundation’s Quest for Real Life Success also assisted in the toy drive.

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* Every November participates in the Toys for Tots Labor of Love toy drive prior to the annual Stadium Review. Several bags of new toys were collected for needy children.

*  sponsored, raised about $2,500 from more than 100 participants. Proceeds assisted eight needy families and filled 56 Christmas stockings. Among the organizations that benefited were North Hills Community Outreach and Light of Light Women and Children Center.

* Hands for Service organized an angel tree to benefit the children of John Heinz Child Development Center, next door to the Jubilee Soup Kitchen. Thirty-eight children as old as 5 received two to five presents each from North Hills students’ efforts. Hands for Service also served a Christmas dinner at Perry Place Elder Care and provided canned goods, turkeys and other items to the Jubilee Soup Kitchen. 

* Hands for Service granted a full wish to a child – with a $3,400 donation – to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

* Senior high school students in the gourmet foods class participated in the annual gingerbread house contest. Students, staff and others voted for their favorites by placing money in the corresponding container. All proceeds benefited the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

* The senior high school American Field Service Club members donated their time to wrap presents at the Northway Mall to assist the North Hills Community Outreach organization.

* The senior high school played host to a faculty vs. student volleyball game with proceeds benefiting the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. There will be a walk-a-thon April 14 at to benefit the foundation.

* The eighth grade class at raised $1,353 through the annual Turkey Trot. Proceeds benefited the .

* The Junior High Caring Team has raised more than $2,000 each year for the past seven years for the Caring Place for Grieving Children.

* North Hills Junior High seventh-graders honored dozens of veterans from throughout the community during the school’s annual Veterans Day program.

* Seventh-grade students on Team Wind organized Operation Snowman, donating new winter hats, scarves, gloves and mittens for children from the Washington Shelter in Washington, PA.

* In January, Team Wind students will raise money for the Save-A-Pet Save-A-Vet Program, which trains service dogs for the benefit of disabled Wounded Warriors and other Americans with disabilities. 

* North Hills varsity cheerleaders helped to collect more than 300 coats during their fifth annual coat drive to benefit the North Hills Community Outreach Free Coat Shop in Millvale.

* North Hills Educational Support Personnel Association sponsored a food drive in November to benefit the North Hills Food Bank. ESPA is composed of about 150 employees, including clerks, computer technicians, licensed practical nurses, paraprofessionals, secretaries and teaching assistants.

* The North Hills “Elves," which include North Hills employees and is an annual charitable drive that ESPA also organizes, donated $2,556 to purchase gift cards for local families in need. This holiday season marks the 22nd year for this charitable tradition.

* The students and staff at raised more than $2,000 to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation and conducted a food drive to benefit the North Hills Food Bank.

* Highcliff Elementary students sold breast cancer awareness pencils to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Foundation and sold bracelets to benefit the “Miracles for Marky” Foundation.

*  sponsored a food drive to assist families from within the community during the holiday season.

*  raised $5,633.18 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

* Staff members at Ross Elementary School collected more than $600 to assist a family in need and collected items for the North Hills Food Bank.

* Ross Elementary students and staff collected sweaters as part of the Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood Sweater Drive.

* Ross Elementary students and staff raised more than $750 to purchase gifts for children whose parents visit the St. Cyril Food Bank on the North Side. A third-grade student, Charlotte Schramm, raised more than $300 to add to the gift fund.

* Students and staff at Ross Elementary contributed more than 400 letters to Applebee’s “Honor Our Veterans” program. These letters were placed throughout the restaurant on Veterans Day when complimentary dinners were served to local veterans. Also in honor of Veterans Day, student letters were mailed to the Korean War Veterans Association, the Sharing and Caring Program for Veterans, and local VA hospitals.

* Ross Elementary teachers and staff donated 36 wreaths, which local veterans and volunteers placed at the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies.

* First- and sixth-grade buddies from McIntyre Elementary collected items for the food bank, created crafts for Veterans Day for those at the VA Hospital in Pittsburgh, and made holiday ornaments and cards for patients at a local nursing home. 

* Fifth-grade students at McIntyre made holiday cards for military members overseas.

* Staff members at McIntyre Elementary School raised $1,025 for the National Cervical Cancer Coalition.

* The North Hills School District staff donated $2,362 to Lee National Denim Day, which benefits the Women's Cancer programs of EIF and the Cancer Support Community – uniting The Wellness Community and Gilda's Club. 

- Submitted by Tina Vojtko, on behalf of the . Have news you'd like to share with Patch readers? Email information and photos to at amyjo.brown@patch.com.

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