On Thursday, March 1, the North Point Parent-Teacher-Student Organization, in conjunction with the National Honor Society, held its second annual Volunteer Fair. The event allowed students, parents, and members of the community to connect with over forty service organizations in and around Charles County, in the hopes of finding new ways to give back.
Organizations present represented a wide spectrum of interests, from the Girl Scouts to Goodwill. The National Parks Service, for example, was looking for students who could help curate the museum at the Thomas Stone House. Alternatively, the Bay K9 Search and Recovery squad, which came equipped with an energetic bloodhound, needs teens who can lay trails and learn about scent theory.
“Because it’s at a school, we thought [the fair] was a great opportunity to be visible for youth of today,” said Chitra Sharma, Chair of the Charles County Commission for Women. That organization, along with others, was looking to youth for input on how to appeal to today’s high schoolers.
Students seemed to enjoy the opportunities presented to them. “A good one that I saw was the Tri-County Youth Services Bureau. It looks like a good organization that’s open to everybody,” said Hannah Rogers (’12). Will Coughlin, President of Student to Student, which helps new North Point students adjust, said, “It’s another great opportunity for students around the county.”
The fair is the brainchild of Elizabeth Prinkey (’12) and her mother, Judy Prinkey. Both are members of the PTSO Executive Board. “I love volunteering and my mom and I wanted to share it with the rest of the school,” said Elizabeth. With this being its second year, the Volunteer Fair matured with the Prinkey’s help. “We got more table hosts this year and we also included three tables from North Point so groups right here that do service work can showcase what they do,” said Mrs. Prinkey. Those groups included Relay for Life, Student to Student, and PTSO. “We got a pretty good crowd – the same or more than last year,” she continued.
The Prinkeys hope that the Volunteer Fair will continue next year, after Elizabeth has graduated and her mom leaves PTSO. And according to Bob Lohr, PTSO president, “As the PTSO board, we’re thrilled to be able to do this….It’s very exciting.”