College Heights students continue service during annual Missions Week

Mar. 14—College Heights Christian School students spread out across the region, the country and the world this week as part of their annual Missions Week.

This marks the 21st year of Missions Week, a week of service involving the entire student body.

Groups of College Heights juniors and seniors traveled to Mexico, Trinidad, and to Arlington, Texas, and Pensacola, Florida, for work with various local servant ministries. A group of freshmen students traveled to Ozark, Arkansas, to provide outreach services by completing physical labor projects and helping with food distribution.

Additionally, College Heights middle school students worked on service projects at Life Choices, Maranatha Bible Camp and area nursing homes. Locally, more than 30 high school students and sponsors spread out among local communities to serve at God's Resort, Neighborhood Life House, Fostering Hope, Loving Grace, Carthage Crisis Center and Restoration House.

Surrounded by donated books, toys and clothing, juniors Libby Fanning and Ava Landers volunteered at Fostering Hope's Caring Closet.

This is the third year they've participated in Missions Week, and they decided to stay local this time.

"I love that we can make an impact on people's everyday lives," Fanning said. "With Missions Week, we can choose if we want to go far away or stay local. What I love about the local trips is that we get to impact the community and see the change around us. It's a good way to share the love of Christ throughout our community."

The theme for this year's Missions Week is "Fervor," representing the school's passion for service.

"I like that we get to serve and be a light to others in the world," Landers said. "We get to see the people we work with in the area."

Kristi McGowen, a technology and business teacher at College Heights, said a local group called Hometown Bound visited a different local nonprofit organization each day this week. Every local organization is new to Missions Week this year.

Talking with students Tuesday morning, she discussed how the local missions are just as important as those traveling around the world; the impact isn't lessened because they stayed local.

"I think it's important for them to see our local organizations so that one day they might want to go back and volunteer," McGowen said.

Missions Week also serves to bring students together. While they might not hang out together normally, freshmen and seniors work side by side during the week. Teachers said that builds teamwork and relationships.

For Candice Anderson, a social studies teacher at College Heights High School, Missions Week is also essential to preparing students for their future.

"Part of our mission statement is creating servant leaders with a biblical worldview," Anderson said. "We're called to go out and be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world. This is a practical way we can do this and model this for our students."

Joanna Holden, program director of Fostering Hope, helped organize College Heights students working at Fostering Hope's Caring Closet on Tuesday. The Caring Closet houses donations of clothing, shoes and toys. When children are placed with a foster family, they can come to the Caring Closet and get whatever they need.

"Kids sometimes come into foster care with just what they're wearing," Holden said. "It's kind of expensive to have to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe for a kid. We're trying to help fill that gap and be a supportive resource for families."

This is the first year the organization has had students from College Heights, and Holden said she's excited to have them because she's a graduate of the school and because College Heights is near and dear to her heart.

"For me, it's awesome to be able to work with students from a school I graduated from," Holden said. "I love this opportunity because I was one of those kids for whom going out of the country to do missions work wasn't an option. The fact that they have this option for kids now is fantastic."

Even though the students had just been there for an hour, Holden said they've already made a big difference.

"They are such a blessing to have this many hands and positive attitudes," Holden said. "They're genuinely excited and compassionate about what they're doing."