As service topic are fleshed out, the juniors prepare a collection drive benefiting homeless individuals to kick off the class topic of ‘Teens Helping Teens.’

The school wide drive will run for three weeks, collecting common toiletries and other amenities. The morning of May 23, before Day on the Green, juniors will assemble the items into care packages for distributions to residents of various homeless shelters, according to junior Sofia Siqueira, who is involved with organizing the junior class project.

“The care packages are a small difference, but we are giving these teenagers items that we take for granted that they may not have easy access. Most of them have very complicated, hard lives, and we are trying to make one part of their lives easier,” Siqueira said.

Each grade selected their topic following the earlier this year, and the topic will remain with the grade for future projects.

“We are looking to establish a long lasting relationship with the homeless shelters, to assure them it isn’t just a one time thing we will lose interest in,” junior Johanna Rapport said, who is also involved in organizing the junior class project.

Despite differing opinions on relevance and importance, the junior class elected to focus on homelessness and poverty due to the general recognition of the societal issue, Siqueira said.

“Since my direct community is Piedmont I have not been exposed to homelessness beyond the occasional homeless person looking through trash cans in Piedmont or the mentally ill homeless person I sat next to on the bus,” Rapport said.

Beyond the collection drive, the junior service project also includes volunteer opportunities run by the Key Club, according to Siqueira.

“The weekends of May 3rd and 4th and May 10th and 11th we will be going from door to door around the Piedmont community to pass out flyers, informing and encouraging the community to donate to the drive – either through money or items. on May 18th, there will be a carwash at Valero in support of the drive as well,” Rapport said.

Ultimately, the project is a learning experience as well as an opportunity to give back to the community.

“I hope that through the service day it will be easier to conceptualize the significance of each care package and donated item to homeless youth in the Bay Area, Rapport said.

The drive runs until Day on the Green, May 23rd, when each class will spend the morning completing their projects. Lists of needed contributions are posted around the school.