From Staff Reports
Last Tuesday, while most local schools were out for Veterans Day, many students spent the day relaxing, catching up on homework or spending time with friends.
But for a group of Pelham High School students, they chose to celebrate the spirit of the nation’s veterans by helping those less fortunate than themselves.
Led by PHS English teacher Ryan Dye, a group of 10th through 12th grade students reported to school at 7:30 a.m., boarded a school bus and made the half-hour trip to Calera to help construct a Habitat for Humanity house for a Shelby County family in need.
More impressively, all of the students who volunteered for the build did so with no promise of incentive, extra credit or time off from school later. All dedicated their day out of the goodness of their hearts.
From 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., the students worked as a team with fellow Habitat for Humanity volunteers to install the baseboards in one home and complete grout work in another. For many of the students, it was their first experience with construction and Habitat for Humanity.
During America’s history, countless veterans have answered the call of their nation when others were in need in other parts of the world. Many who heeded the call did so without thought for themselves, caring only about serving their country in any way they could.
While on a smaller scale, the group of students from PHS perfectly embodied the spirit of the nation’s veterans by stepping up and helping out when the need was there. One day, a local family who could have otherwise been homeless will have a warm, safe place to call home because of the selflessness of this group.
Well done, students. You are the definition of celebrating the right way.