Luverne Middle School students have spent the school year being challenged by their peers to make a difference.
The effort stems from the student council’s attendance at the WE Day Minnesota conference in early November.
Becky Rahm, the middle school student council adviser, said the daylong event encouraged and empowered students to return to their communities and lead events that could make a meaningful difference in their communities and schools.
The students were also challenged to complete a project on a global level.
This is the second year Luverne Middle School had representatives at the conference.
Eighth-grader Justice Brandt attended the conference for the first time.
“It’s life changing,” she said. “You go from a kid in the hallway to making your world better.”
Shortly after the conference, the students finished a project to make a difference in their school.
The council organized, fundraised and purchased recycling bins for their classrooms.
“All the papers you throw in the garbage — it’s a waste,” Brandt said.
Students are now more likely to discard unwanted paper in one of the 68 blue plastic recycling bins instead of a paper box, she said. The council will also purchase larger bins for the collection of plastic bottles.
Most recently the council raised $417 for a more global project. The monies will be used to purchase 16 educational supply kits for students in Haiti.
“It makes me happy to know kids in Haiti will learn more and have a better education,” Brandt said.
More lasting for Brandt, however, is her new willingness to step forward to work with another local youth group for an upcoming community project.
“We can make a difference now instead of waiting until we are adults,” she said. “I am still in middle school. You don’t think you can make change.”
Similarly, Rahm said, other middle school students have stepped up to serve on the local Kids Against Hunger project.