During the month of September, Canton Middle School’s Student Ambassadors collected items for the Open Door/Haywood Pathways partnership that serves our area’s homeless community.  Each homeroom at CMS was directed to collect one of the following items that the homeless ministry identified as “filling a real need:” deodorant, shaving cream, baby wipes, notebooks, pencils, or pens.

The CMS Student Ambassadors is a leadership organization at the school, designed to exemplify the best qualities of character to be found in middle grades students.  The young men and women are chosen by faculty and staff to become a part of Student Ambassadors based upon their capacity as role models within the school community.  The goal is that these students will create positive change on the school campus and lead their peers toward higher ideals of service and teamwork.

At the beginning of each week, two student Ambassadors visited their designated homerooms and gathered the items that homeroom collected to be kept in a central location.

The impact of the project wasn’t lost upon the students involved.  Kira Stone, a CMS 7th grader, observed, “I liked being able to see how much people donated so that I know we are really helping people.”

For 8th grader Amy Hunt, the drive helped to strengthen bonds among the leadership group.  “I got to help the less fortunate, but I also liked being with friends who have the same ideals as me.”

At the end of the project, the Student Ambassadors met to assemble all of the items the school’s students donated into several large boxes that were delivered to the Open Door in early October.  Teacher-sponsors Sarah Beth Lee and Rhonda Wester noted that it was an extremely successful effort.  “We donated a considerable amount of personal supplies to the homeless of Haywood County,” said Mrs. Lee.

The CMS Ambassadors did a wonderful job of rallying their peers to the cause and they were honored to have the opportunity to serve the area’s homeless community.  As 7th grader Caleb Holcomb put it, “I like helping my school out and lifting up the needs of others.”

Upcoming projects for the CMS Student Ambassadors include a November Food Drive in conjunction with Evergreen Packaging, as well as visiting Silver Bluff Village December to fellowship and sing with the residents.

Any Haywood County organizations interested in being involved with the Canton Middle School Student Ambassadors are welcome to contact either Mrs. Lee or Mrs. Wester at 828-646-3467 for more information.

Submitted by:  Bill Hunt, Canton Middle School