Members of the Teen Outreach Program with a few of the donated socks they collected for the area's homeless.
During the month of October, high school students participating in the Teen Outreach Program sponsored a sock donation drive, Socktober.
With a goal to collect 500 pairs of students, the competition between Connections classes at OHS netted a grand total of 1,343 pairs of socks. The effort was assisted by Evans 7th grade science teacher, Laura Goemaat. Her classes collected 643 pair to support the cause.
Each year, The Teen Outreach Program does a variety of community service projects as part of the national organization's goal for teens to have opportunities to give back to their communities and practice the skills they learn in the program by engaging in community service learning. These opportunities result in increased confidence, purpose, and connectedness to their communities.
Socks of all sizes were donated and will be given to area homeless residents through the district's homeless liaison, Blessings Soup Kitchen, and other local efforts to assist those without a permanent residence.
The group has other projects slated for the this school year, including inspirational quotes painted on bathroom walls at OHS and cards reminding teens of wellness exams for public health.
