During the holiday season, many Powell High School clubs gave back to the community.

Clubs like National Honor Society, Student Council and Skills USA kept busy filling their schedules with fundraisers and community service.

National Honor Society started spreading Christmas cheer in November. Some members traveled to Walmart in Cody to participate in Operation Christmas Child, a program in which anyone can pack a shoebox full of presents for a child ages of 2-14. NHS was able to buy enough presents to pack six boxes total (three for girls and three for boys). NHS sold hot chocolate for $1 after school until Christmas break in order to raise money for shipping costs of the Operation Christmas Child boxes.

NHS also participated in the donations of Christmas baskets. Members of NHS helped buy food to pack a Christmas meal for several unfortunate families. The baskets were made up of traditional foods and ingredients for a Christmas meal.

“One of our tenets is community service and the whole point of NHS is to be a service club,” NHS President senior Lucy Sullivan said, “If we’re not giving back to the community, then what’s the point in existing?”

Skills USA participated in helping pack Christmas boxes for U.S. soldiers. Area schools and businesses donated non-perishable goods that were packed and shipped to soldiers from the area as Christmas presents. Skills USA members went to H&R Block Dec. 3-4 and packed all the presents the whole Powell community donated, and the rations weren’t small. PHS special education para-educator Ms. Bonnie Rouse played a pivotal role in seeing this project through.

The PHS Choir also spread their Christmas cheer in a totally different form: singing. It’s been a tradition for the choir to go to businesses, manors, and nursing homes during the holiday season to belt out some holly jolly tunes.

“It’s pretty fun to see how people react to it,” senior choir member Aidan Hunt said. “It’s a little different not singing on stage or in the choir room or in the commons.”

But the good cheer of the holidays didn’t end with Christmas preparations. Student Council has been participating in raising funds for Make-A-Wish for a very long time, and this year they got an early start by utilizing some of the “magic of Christmas” that is spread around this time.

“We like to set an example and stand out from the rest of the student body, and try and give back,”

There was a Christmas tree in the PHS Commons and it wasn’t just for looks before Christmas break. Donors purchased Make-A-Wish stars to hang on the tree for a small price. Donating $1 earned a student one star that they could write their name on to hang on the tree, and they were  entered once to win a prize. Donating $3 earned a bigger star and 5 entries for a prize (prize to be announced). All proceeds went to Make-A-Wish.

“Everybody feels more generous during Christmas time,” Schuler said.