By James Liu
On December 16th, the Williamsville East National Honor Society (NHS) held a Christmas party at the Frank A Sedita Academy, a public school in Buffalo. The party took place in the school’s gym divided into four stations, where activities included making an ornament, caroling, and a Santa meet-and-greet where each kid received a present. Kids sang and clapped along to carols like “Jingle Bells”, “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”, and Williamsville East’s personal favorite, “Sleigh Ride”. The ornament craft was a messy yet fun time for everyone, with glitter all over the floor by the end of the party. And finally, the Santa meet-and-greet let kids meet Santa Claus in person, played by Lewis Shaevel, the current president of the NHS, while he handed out gifts. Before the festivities, decorations were hung and the kids were greeted by the NHS members. NHS members signed up in droves to get gifts for the children and walk them through the day, with dozens of students volunteering. Leah Huang, an NHS member who volunteered, said that, “Interacting with the little kids and watching them light up while playing with their gifts was the highlight of the trip.” After the party, I think I speak for everyone when I say that it was a fun, exhausting, and memorable time for all. The hard work everyone put into giving the kids a fun Christmas party was obvious, and it really shows what the NHS is all about.
For interested freshmen, sophomores, and juniors, the National Honor Society is a club dedicated to volunteering and community service, with the Christmas party being just one of many events members can participate in throughout the year. It is closed to only seniors, and entry involves filling out an application in junior year requiring recommendations based on student service and leadership. However, it is a great experience to serve your community and help others and well worth the effort of applying if you are interested.
