Middle School

Oakridge Student Council breaks into Community Service

Orange, CA, October 15, 2011      - 

Through the years, the students at Oakridge Private School have helped their surrounding community and volunteered for various causes, from making Thanksgiving baskets for the homeless to “The Giving Tree Charities” during Christmas. But Student Council itself has historically been a select group of student leaders looking after the rest of the student body needs. This year, the Student Council has changed its name to ACT, which stands for Active Citizens Today, and is no longer just looking after the needs of its own Student Body; ACT is turning Oakridge’s Student Council into an active volunteer team looking after issues affecting our community and finding ways to help by helping established charities and creating their own!

 Last year, the students focused on the military, creating several programs helping the men and women abroad defending our freedom. This year’s President, Myra Adawy, has chosen to highlight abused and neglected animals, with the theme of “Give a voice to the voiceless.” Although animals are their main focus, they are not forgetting children in need, so they are also working on “kids helping kids.”

 Some of the Charities they are focusing on include the OC Zoo, Santa Ana Zoo, OC Animal Rescue, and others. They will also be helping with Second Harvest Food Bank, teaming with the Villa Park High School Best Buddies program, Project Linus, Project Hope, Cinderella’s for Orangewood, and The Giving Tree. During Thanksgiving, they will also be teaming up with “The White House Restaurant” in providing pasta meals for children living in motels, and will be inviting many marines from the Camp Pendleton to join them for a festive Thanksgiving meal at the school.

This year, they started their volunteer work with a bang by volunteering for the Chapman University 5K held Saturday October 15! They gave up their Saturday morning (5:30am-10am) to be “spotters” and assisted in safety measures for the runners and observers alike.

 Many of you are familiar with charities such as the OC Animal Rescue, Second Harvest Food Bank, Adopt a Marine for Thanksgiving, The Giving Tree, and the Chapman 5K Run, but not many are as familiar with Best Buddies, Project Linus, Project Hope and the Oakridge-created Cinderella’s for Orangewood.

Founded in 1989 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver, Best Buddies is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

 Project Linus volunteers help achieve their mission, which is to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer "blanketeers."

 The mission of the Project HOPE School is to provide an exceptional academic environment that empowers homeless and economically vulnerable children to achieve their fullest potential. And Oakridge’s ACT will help from donating their time to helping with projects and by campaigning for donations such as back packs full of school supplies.

 Some of you might be familiar with “Working Wardrobes” and “Cinderella’s for Life” but Oakridge Student Council has taken this concept and focused on Orangewood kids by collecting any dance outfits and clothes, in good condition, for the children of Orangewood, who also attend local schools and might not have the outfits to attend school dances.

The students involved with ACT at Oakridge feel privileged and excited to be able to help this year and for many years to come!