On October 15^th, National Beta Club, one of the largest independent and educational youth organizations in America, commenced its annual community service project at the school. Tons of boxes with signs for donation items were propped up inside different classes across campus. Posters with information about the activity were hung on the walls within different stairwells. This important service activity, funded by the youth empowering organization, Crossroads, has helped many members of National Beta Club connect with the community and the less fortunate. Senior Ryan Lee, the treasurer of the club, describes the importance of giving back.

“It makes me feel good that I have the ability to do something good for the community.” Lee said. “It’s just the right thing to do.”

Beta Club’s avid participation in this service project helps emphasize their motto: “Let Us Lead by Serving Others”. By helping the Bellaire community, members of Beta Club can fulfill their duties of both leading the school to donate and servicing the homeless.

“Helping out the community is obviously one of the best things about doing this project.” Lee said. “By working and planning with Crossroads to execute this service, I’ve grown both in being able to do more for the Bellaire community and build up my confidence when it comes to talking to other people.

Working on Beta Club’s service project with Crossroads has helped many other members realize how important it is to serve their communities. Three-year member and secretary Michelle Miao describe the significance of working with Crossroads to help the neighborhood’s less fortunate.

“Assisting the community is one of the most important aspects of someone’s life,” Miao said. “It’s not just benefiting yourself, but also benefiting others. By helping and giving to others in a greater need than you are, you’re also helping and giving to yourself.”

Every year, Beta Club participates in many projects both inside the school and the community. This year, the activity with Crossroads has been one of the most successful projects up to date. Tons of different teachers and classes donated many items to Beta Club in the past 2 weeks, and the club is still gaining many donations. Co-President Harold Weiser talked about how he felt about working the service project the past two weeks.

“This project has helped me realize a lot about helping out the community,” Weiser said. “I’ve learned a lot about my community and the nonprofit organization (Crossroads). Helping the community has helped me grow so much in the past 2 weeks, and I’m grateful that we’ve been able to work with the organization to let this project happen again for Beta Club.”

There are still a couple of weeks left of the service project, yet Beta Club is excited to see how many donations they can still get. These donations by the students at the school have benefited the club and the Bellaire community so much, and the officers are looking forward to the outcome of the service activity.