Giving back to the community has always been a priority for mathematics teacher Mindy Nold. On Dec. 4, she took her advisory students to the Johnson County Christmas Bureau (JCCB). With 3,000 community volunteers helping with this event, students such as junior Lexie Logue and sophomore Tristin Lair have benefitted from their time spent organizing the shop and helping prepare for the month of shoppers.
“I do a lot of community service throughout the year,” Logue said. “This was my first time helping out at JCCB and I loved being with my friends from advisory. Some [people] I have no other classes with except on Thursday, so it was good to catch up and have fun while giving back to the community.”
The students had a choice on what job they wanted to take on at JCCB. They could either help customers shop, or help organize clothing and other items in the store.
“Each student benefits in their own way,” Nold said. “Some will bond with another student that they may not usually talk to; some will realize that their teacher is just a normal person who cares about them; some will realize that there are lots of people right in their own neighborhood that are in need. Overall, they learn what it means to care.”
JCCB is a place that helps low-income families of Johnson County prepare for the holidays and can shop for groceries, clothing, household supplies and gifts to bring home for their families. It is open from the middle of November to the middle of December.
“My friend and I decided to go because we had nothing else to do on a Tuesday night,” Lair said. “But after I went, I want to come back because it was fun helping people shop.”
Nold has been going to JCCB for five years and says that each time is a new experience for her and also her students.
“I absolutely love seeing my students find so much joy out of helping others,” Nold said. “I see them every day as students, and they completely change when they are at JCCB. I get to see who they truly are.”
